Eclipse the Hedgehog Revised
by Ashe Inuzuka
Summary: Eclipse and Shadow...no one knew their connection, or that one of them even existed, until now. Complete.
1. Meeting Sonic

This is the revised version of one of my stories which was discontinued. Hope you like it...for anyone who wants to know, I will be betaing myself, as I've gotten quite a bit better from when I started writing this.

* * *

><p>What if Shadow the Hedgehog was really a girl named Eclipse the Hedgehog who simply pretends to be a boy? And then Sonic and friends meet Eclipse, not knowing it was Shadow? Well, I'd say this is what happens.<p>

Shadow the Hedgehog leaned against the far wall of an alley, waiting for midnight. He could have waited in his house, but he didn't want to take the chance of someone finding him out. After all, who knew what Sonic and the others would do if they found out Shadow's deepest secret? Shadow found himself shuddering at the thought. Shadow looked up, seeing that the moon was at its highest point. He wasn't entirely sure if it was midnight yet, but he was pretty sure it was close enough. He pulled the green Chaos Emerald out of his quills. He threw the emerald up in the air.

"Armour down." He commanded the emerald. It shot a beam of green light at him as he closed his red eyes. Shadow's body twitched slightly as pieces of his skin and fur fell off of him.

Slowly a 17 year old female hedgehog was revealed under what was once Shadow, her eyelids naturally ruby red. Her quills were the same as Shadows, except that she had two short and thin quills that were down, one on each side of her face, also having stripes. She was as black as the sky at midnight on a moonless night and her stripes were a ruby red. The dress that the girl wore, which had been at her hips, fell to halfway down her upper legs. The top of her dress was black, somehow even darker then her fur, with a bright yellow stripe going down the front all the way down the dress. The top of the dress had four black straps; two on the girl's shoulders and one on each side make it look cooler. Twin bright red stripes went out from the middle of the yellow stripes on the top of her dress, going diagonally to her under arms. There was a vertical yellow stripe separating the top and bottom of her dress. The bottom of her dress was bright red like the stripes coming off of the yellow stripe on the top of her dress. The yellow line fanned out at the bottom half of the dress, coming to where her legs were when she had them apart. She had black shoes that had bright red at the end and a bit of bright red near the back and a strip of bright yellow that seemed to be a strap. Her shoes had holes on the bottoms, the same as Shadow's hover shoes did, meaning that her shoes were hover shoes two. Her gloves were almost exactly like Shadow's, only the gloves themselves were bright red and fingerless and there was no red tab coming from under the restrictor rings. She wore a pair of tight fitting black shorts under her dress, to make battling easier if she had to battle. She opened her eyes, revealing eyes the same color as her stripes, a striking ruby red. Her body was obviously female, the curves of her body obvious, but not as obvious as Rouge. Her chest also wasn't as big as Rouge; the girl's was more natural looking. Her arms and legs were thin, but strong looking, covered in her black fur. Her feet were small, probably because she was short for being 17. Her muzzle and the inside of her ears were a soft peach. She had the same white upside-down triangle mark on her chest, which was hidden by her sighed, feeling unprotected without her armour.

"I'll have to wait a while until I can put my armour back up, or I'll start to deteriorate." The girl said to herself. Her voice must have been the most beautiful voice anyone had ever heard, and it was distinctively female, unlike the male voice she used when she had her armour up.

"Shadow!" She heard someone yell suddenly.

_Oh crap! It's the faker! _The girl thought freezing for a moment before she realised something. _How the hell can he think I'm Shadow? I'm in a dress! _The girl thought, wondering how Sonic could be so stupid. She turned around, seeing Sonic suddenly screech to a halt a few feet from her.

"Oh, Sorry. I thought you were someone else." Sonic apologised. The girl thought for a moment, trying to figure out how she should reply. She couldn't use the same personality that she usually did when she has wearing her armour...she'd have to act like one of the females she knew. Rouge was too...Rouge, and Cream was too young. So that left Amy.

_I'll just have to act like Amy...I look about 13 anyway. But not the Sonic-chasing part. There is NO way that I'm going to chase that Faker around! _The girl thought. "It's ok. My name is Eclipse, what's yours?" She asked happily, saying the name without thinking. Eclipse was her true name, the name that Professor Gerald had given her. The name that she hadn't been called in over 50 years, the name that she had nearly forgotten over time.

"Sonic, Sonic the Hedgehog." Sonic stated, giving Eclipse a good-guy pose, making her want to twitch her eye, though she stopped herself from doing so.

"Oh wow! So you're the famous Sonic." Eclipse said excitedly, making herself feel inwardly sick.

"Yep, that's right." Sonic said, smiling at her. Eclipse inwardly smirked. Just cause the Faker didn't know she was Shadow didn't mean she couldn't put herself up a few notches, right?

"Your supposed to be the fastest hedgehog ever right? Well, second to that Shadow that is." She said, inwardly smirking when she saw the look of horror on Sonic's face.

"Shadow isn't better then me!" He stated.

"Then how about this? We'll have a race, and if I win then you have to admit that Shadow is better then you. Deal?" She asked, hopeful innocence in her voice.

"Fine, but if I win you'll become one of my loyal fans." Sonic said, wanting to make sure that if he won, which he believed he would, then he'd get something he wanted.

"Deal." Eclipse said simply, smiling at him. _You're going down Faker. _She thought.

"Alright, so we'll race to the other side of the city, alright?" Sonic asked her.

"Ok." She said, smiling in the sweetest way Sonic had seen. They both stood side to side, Sonic on the left and Eclipse on the right.

_I'll go easy on her. _Sonic thought. Eclipse tapped the front of her right foot on the ground, causing her right hover shoe to activate. She then did the same thing with her left foot, though Sonic simply thought she was getting ready. "Ready?" Sonic asked her.

"Set." She replied.

"Go!" They yelled in unison. Eclipse shot off like a rocket, far faster then when she had her armour up, since the armour weighted a lot and it slowed her down. Sonic stared at where she had gone for a moment before it clicked that she was very fast. If he didn't hurry he'd have to say that Shadow was better then him!

_Run Sonic! Run! _His mind screamed at him. Immediately he shot off, running as fast as his legs would carry him. He soon caught up to Eclipse. He was just about to pass her when she passed the sign saying You are now leaving Ring City. She stopped immediately, something that her hover shoes allowed her to do, before turning them off the same way she turned them on.

_That wasn't nearly as entertaining when I'm not wearing my armour. I can run much faster without it, and that makes racing Faker here no challange. _Eclipse thought, a little upset that the only entertainment that she found entertaining wouldn't be entertaining without her armour on. "I win." She said happily.

"Geez. You took off so fast, I didn't think a girl could run that fast." Sonic admitted.

"Well, I can." She stated simply. "Ok Sonic, time to admit what you promised you would." Eclipse said, inwardly smirking.

"Shadow is better then me." Sonic muttered.

"WHAT?" The entire city screamed, thousands of people suddenly crowded around Sonic. Eclipse just blinked as she saw everyone crowd around Sonic.

_How the hell did they all hear him? _She wondered. To say she was surprised when Sonic suddenly grabbed her hand would be an understatement. He suddenly started running quickly, pulling her with him. She managed to turn on her hover shoes before he started running, making it easy for her to keep up with him.

"Come on, we'll go to Tails' house. We should be safe there." Sonic told her, running at his top speed toward Mystic Ruins with Eclipse easily keeping up.

* * *

><p>See you all later!<p> 


	2. Meeting the Rest of the Sonic Heroes

Eclipse felt Sonic's grip on her hand tighten as he continued to run. Feeling his hand pressed against her own caused something to happen that hadn't happened for 50 years.

**Vision (All visions are in Eclipse's point of view).**

**I was standing in a room that didn't look familiar to me, but I found myself smiling happily anyway. **

**"You did it Eclipse. You're one of the Sonic Heroes now!" Sonic said happily as he stood in front of me, smiling. **

**"Three cheers for Eclipse!" I heard a voice, which I recognized to be Tails, yell happily. **

**"Hip, hip, hurray!" All the other Sonic Heroes called out happily. ****"Hip, hip, hurray!" ****They cheered for me again. "Hip, hip-"**

**End of vision (and after the vision it's back to normal point of view).**

"Eclipse?" Sonic asked Eclipse as he waved his hand in front of her face, trying to get her out of the trance she was suddenly in. Eclipse suddenly blinked, her eyes no longer having the far off look that they had before.

"Did you say something Sonic?" she asked sweetly.

"You okay? You just sorta...spaced out for a minute there." Sonic asked in concern.

"Oh, yeah I'm fine. That happens to me sometimes." Eclipse said, smiling in embarrassment, blushing lightly.

"Oh, okay." he said, smiling at her as he went to grab her hand again, which he had let go off when he stopped after realizing that she was in a trance. Eclipse quickly pulled her hand away.

"I can keep up just fine without you holding my hand." she pointed out, barely keeping the venom out of her voice.

"Oh, right." Sonic concurred, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Sonic!" The two hedgehogs heard someone yell suddenly.

"Oh no! It's Amy!" Sonic said, looking panicked, causing Eclipse to inwardly giggle.

"There you are Sonic!" The voice yelled as the familiar pink hedgehog ran up to Sonic, wrapping her arms around him in a death hug.

"H-hey Amy." Sonic said nervously, trying to pry the female hedgehog from him. Amy looked up from the ground that she had previously been looking at, seeing Eclipse. She immediately let go of Sonic, sending a glare at Eclipse that scared the black hedgehog, but only slightly.

"Who's she?" Amy hissed angrily, pointing at Eclipse accusingly.

"Oh, right. This is my new friend, Eclipse. Eclipse, meet Amy Rose." Sonic said, gesturing to Eclipse before gesturing to Amy.

"Amy Rose? You mean THE Amy Rose?" Eclipse asked with very believable false excitement.

"Yes, that's me'" Amy answered, still sounding untrusting of Eclipse.

"Oh wow! I've always wanted to meet you!" Eclipse said happily, squealing like a fan girl. "You're an inspiration to girls everywhere! You're brave and strong, but kind and sincere at the same time! And your never ending determination to get Sonic to marry you! It's just aw inspiring!" Eclipse exclaimed, sounding like a girl who had just met her hero.

"You really think so?" Amy asked cautiously.

"You bet! I've wanted to be like you since I could remember!" the black hedgehog said happily.

"So...you don't think I should just give up?" the pink hedgehog asked hopefully.

"No way! You should never give up your dreams, not ever! Don't settle for ANYONE other then Sonic!" Eclipse encouraged, sounding slightly possessive, as if she was trying to keep Amy away from someone that she loved.

_She's encouraging her? _Sonic thought in panic, beginning to think that life with Eclipse around may turn out to be hell, yet he couldn't bring himself to just leave her there with Amy and forget about her. _Well, I guess that means that she doesn't think that Shadow's in love with Amy, like a lot of the rest of the gang do. _Sonic thought, remembering how Amy had been the one to convince Shadow to help Sonic stop the ARK from destroying earth.

"Yeah, you're right." Amy said happily. "Sorry I was so mean to you earlier, but you know how possessive I am of Sonic." Amy admitted.

"It's okay Amy. I'd probably be the same way if I loved someone as much as you do." Eclipse said with a smile.

"You know, as long as you don't fall for Sonic, I think me and you could be great friends, maybe ever best friends." Amy informed her new friend, smiling.

"Don't worry Amy, if I'm going to fall for anyone, it'll be Shadow." Eclipse assured her, having no intention of falling in love with anyone.

"Then let's be friends, okay?" Amy asked, holding her hand out for Eclipse to shake.

"Oka.," Eclipse said with a smile, shaking Amy's hand. The physical contact, even though they both had gloves on, caused another vision.

**I was standing on a sidewalk, a look of sadness in my eyes.**

**"I can't believe I ever trusted you!" screamed a voice that I recognized to be Amy, who was standing in front of me, her arms and legs spread apart as she looked close to tears. **

**"Amy-" I tried to say, only to be cut off by the pink hedgehog in front of me.**

**"First you lied to us, then you stole my Sonic from me! I hate you!" she yelled, crying silently, turning and running down the sidewalk. **

**"Amy!" I called after her, trying to reach out to stop her, finding myself close to tears as well.**

"Eclipse?" Amy asked in concern when Eclipse suddenly spaced out, a far off look in her eyes.

"Don't worry, that happens to her sometimes." Sonic assured the pink hedgehog. Eclipse blinked, bringing herself back to the present.

"You okay?" Amy asked, concerned even though Sonic had basically told her not to be.

"Yeah. That happens to me sometimes. Sorry if I worried you." Eclipse apologized.

"It's alright." Amy said with a smile.

_"First you lied to us, then you stole my Sonic from me!" _Eclipse quoted in her mind. _What did she mean when she said "then you stole my Sonic from me"? I mean, I can understand the "you lied to us" part. She was obviously talking about how I lied about being Shadow the Hedgehog when Shadow the Hedgehog doesn't exist, so they obviously found out that me and Shadow are one in the same. But I can't understand that "then you stole my Sonic from me" part. Could I have maybe...No, it's impossible! My visions aren't sure things, and I'll make sure that that part of the vision doesn't come true! _Eclipse thought, determinedly. _I don't really care if Amy hates me, but she must have been a good friend of mine in the vision, since I was upset when she said she hated me. I'll have to be careful, try not to let her get to close to me, and visa versa. _Eclipse thought as an after thought, nodding her head ever so slightly at her own thought. "Sonic, weren't we supposed go to Tails' house?" Eclipse asked suddenly, remembering that they had been going there before her first vision.

"Oh, that's right. I totally forgot." Sonic admitted.

"Why were you going to Tails' house?" Amy asked.

"Trying to get away from the people in Ring City...who have followed us." Eclipse said, pointing behind the group. Sure enough, all of Ring City was running behind them, trying to catch up. "Amy, get on my back. I'll carry you." Eclipse said, crouching so that Amy could get onto her back. In truth, Eclipse just wanted to get away from all the people, and she knew that Sonic wouldn't leave Amy behind to be tortured by the Ring City residence.

"Alright." Amy said, carefully climbing onto Eclipse's back before wrapping her arms around Eclipse's neck. Eclipse wrapped her arms around Amy's legs, holding her ankles securely.

"Let's go before they catch up." The black hedgehog said, turning her hover shoes back on, which she had turned off during the first vision. Sonic nodded, running toward Mystic Ruins again with Eclipse and Amy close behind.

"Tuck your head down and close your eyes. It'll make you feel like you're not even moving then." Eclipse told Amy after feeling her shudder, not wanting to feel the girl's constant shudders. Amy did as she was told, and immediately her body relaxed, though her arms were just as tight around Eclipse's neck as could feel another vision coming on, but she repressed it, not wanting to fall too far behind. _I'll let it play out later. _She thought, wishing that she had her armour, since the armour stopped her from having visions. It was noon by the time Eclipse slowed as she, Amy and Sonic reached the familiar house in Mystic Ruins.

"Here we are, Tails' house." Sonic said, pointing to the house as Eclipse crouched to let Amy off of her. Amy immediately climbed off of Eclipse after that. As soon as Eclipse wasn't touching Amy the vision that she had repressed earlier returned and played out.

**I found myself sitting on a field of soft grass, billions of stars above my head. Amy was sitting beside me and I was smiling slightly at her in a joking manner.**

**"Oh come on Amy, EVERYONE knows that you love Sonic." I said kind heartedly, smiling at my best friend before looking up again. **

**"Is there anyone you love Eclipse?" Amy asked me, smiling. **

**"I'm not really sure..." I admitted, looking deeply into the stars, as if searching for the answer with in them. **

**"What about Shadow? You're a huge Shadow fan, aren't you?" Amy asked me. ****I had the urge to shake my head, but ignored that urge, and instead nodded. **

**"Yeah, but...I've never even met him. Every time I get a chance to meet him we always manage to just miss each other." I said, sounding as sad as I could manage, which was actually rather sad.**

**"You'll meet someday, I'm sure of it." Amy said confidently, suddenly holding my hand between hers, looking at me in the eyes. I smirked. **

**"Quit it! You look like you're about to ask me to marry you!" I exclaimed, pulling my hand out of hers, causing us both to fall back while laughing loudly.**

_Okay, these visions are beginning to get on my nerves. _Eclipse thought as soon as the vision ended.

"Hey Tails! Can we come in?" Sonic yelled, knocking loudly on the door. Eclipse was surprised to see the red echidna open the door, and found herself vaguely wondering why he was there. "Hey Knux, we need to come in to get away from the mob of people chasing after us." Sonic explained, pointing to the large group of Mobians that were visible in the direction they had come from.

"What did you do to get so many people following you?" Knuckles asked angrily.

"I'll explain later, just let us in!" Sonic said, nearly begging.

"Fine." Knuckles said, rolling his eyes, before stepping out of the way the let the trio of hedgehogs into Tails' house. Eclipse heard Knuckles close the door behind them, and looked around the room. The door led strait to the living room, which had a few chairs and couches, the same grey as steel, though they obviously weren't metal.

"Go ahead Eclipse, sit down." Sonic said, plopping down in one of the chairs with Amy sitting down in the chair next to his.

"Alright..." Eclipse said uncertainly, sitting on the couch across from Sonic and Amy.

"Um...I'll go and...get Tails." Knuckles said, leaving the room quickly, as though he'd just seen a ghost.

"What's with him?" Eclipse found herself asking before she could stop herself. Sonic and Amy both simply shrugged.

"Is something wrong Sonic?" came a familiar voice from behind Eclipse suddenly. She turned to see the familiar twin tailed golden fox was standing behind her with...Knuckles hiding behind him?

_Well, that's not something you see everyday. _Eclipse thought, inwardly smirking, having the feeling that she was the reason that Knuckles was trying to hide behind the fox who was obviously much shorter then him.

"Not really, we just had to get away from the Ring City residents." Sonic said, relaxing in the chair he was in. "Eclipse here beat me in a race across the city. We had agreed that if she won I'd say that Shadow was better then me. When she won I muttered it, but somehow the entire city heard me. I dragged her here and we met Amy along the way." Sonic summed up.

"Eclipse?" Tails asked in confusion.

"Her." Sonic stated simply, pointing to Eclipse.

"Hello." She said, slightly shyly.

"Oh, hello. My name is Miles Prower, but my friends call me Tails. And the echidna trying to hide behind me is Knuckles the Echidna." Tails stated, pointing to himself then to Knuckles.

"She looks like Shadow! It's creepy!" Knuckles exclaimed suddenly, causing the other Sonic Heroes in the room to sweat drop.

"I do?" Eclipse asked innocently, looking at Sonic.

"Well, I did mistake you for him at first." He replied simply. A huge smile spread across Eclipse's face.

"No one's ever told me that before. I think it's cool that I look like one of my heroes." she said happily.

"You're a Shadow fan?" Tails asked, shocked with the fact that Sonic had become friends with a Shadow fan.

"Yep," Eclipse said happily.

"Not many of those around here." The fox murmured to himself.

"Wait...you beat Sonic in a race?" Amy, Tails and Knuckles yelled in unison, clearly shocked as that fact caught up with their minds.

"Yeah, she shot off like a rocket as soon as we yelled go." Sonic said, sounding impressed.

"Wow...I've never heard of anyone beating Sonic other then occasionally Shadow." Tails said, smiling at Eclipse.

"I guess...I'm just one fast hedgehog!" she said with a cheesy smile, causing everyone around her to laugh, even Knuckles. _Suddenly...not having my armour on...doesn't make me feel as unprotected. _She thought, inwardly smiling slightly.

"Nice to meet you Eclipse." Tails said, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"You too, Tails." she said, smiling as she shook his hand, causing another vision.

**I found myself out in the rain, which was soaking through my clothing, though I didn't seem to care. I had a duffle bag over my right shoulder, and I assumed that it had my personal possessions in it by the way I was holding it against me protectively. **

**"You're leaving?" Tails asked me sadly. ****I turned to him suddenly, noticing that he looked close to tears and his ears were drooped. **

**"Yeah. I can't stay here anymore. It'll be too hard for me to be around him, you know that." I said, a sad smile on my face, before I turned away.**

**"Besides, no one will miss me." I said, starting to walk away. **

**"That's not true!" I heard Tails call after me. "We all will." I heard him say sadly, though he didn't try to stop me as I continued to walk away from him.**

_That one was sad. I wonder who I was talking about when I said "It'll be too hard for me to be around him". Well, I guess I'll have to wait and see. _Eclipse thought, smiling at the fox in front of her. She was sure that her future had changed, since she refused to fall in love with Sonic. Her vision had only taken a few moments, so no one noticed her space out this time.

"I guess you aren't all that bad." Knuckles said, holding his hand out for her to shake.

"I'll take that as a sort of... 'Knuckles compliment'." Eclipse said, smiling as she shook Knuckles' hand, which caused yet another vision.

**I found myself in a think jungle, far away from any civilization. I could tell I had been here for a while...but I wasn't sure if it was months or years, I seem to have lost track of time. I was lying on the ground, breathing heavily, the trees around my covered in marks from Chaos Spears.**

**"Finally! I've found you!" I heard someone behind me exclaimed happily. I looked up, seeing the familiar red dreadlocks. **

**"Knuckles?" I asked tiredly. **

**"Yeah, it's me. We've been looking for you since you left. I'm glad we finally found you." He told me softly, stroking my quills gentle and smiling at me. I found myself happier then I thought I'd be to see him. He must have been close to me, maybe a big brother figure?**

"**Hey guys! I found her!" he yelled suddenly, confirming my suspicions that the others were in the forest. **

**"I can't go back...he'll be there." I said sadly, still unable to force myself up. **

**"He?" Knuckles asked me. **

**"S-"**

Eclipse smiled at the echidna, who had now pulled his hand away from hers, but was smiling slightly at her.

_It must have been his sudden movement that caused the vision to end too soon. _Eclipse thought, a little peeved off that she didn't know who was causing her to stay away from the Sonic Heroes. "I have a feeling...we'll be good friends, all of us." Eclipse said, smiling at the group. Suddenly there was a knock on Tails' door.

"I'll get it." Tails stated, walking to the door. After a few seconds Tails came in with the Chaotix Detective Agency behind him. "Apparently they had a feeling they should come here today." Tails explained when he saw the confused looks on his friends' faces.

"Who are they?" Eclipse asked shyly, having to act the part, even though she knew who they were.

"Oh, that's right, the Chaotix aren't really part of the Sonic Heroes, so you probably don't know who they are Eclipse." Tails said, smiling at her. "Eclipse, this is the Chaotix Detective Agency. Vector the Crocodile, Espio the Chameleon and Charmy Bee." Tails said, pointing from one member to the next as he said their names. "Chaotix, this is Eclipse." he introduced.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Vector, leader of the Chaotix." Vector said, holding out his hand for Eclipse to shake.

"I'm Eclipse, Eclipse the Hedgehog." Eclipse said happily, shaking Vector's hand, which led to another vision. She was getting used to them after all the introductions she was having.

**I was standing in the rain again, and since I was holding the duffle bag protectively I was still planning on leaving the Sonic Heroes. It must have been late, since Charmy and Espio weren't there. **

**"You can't leave!" Vector yelled, sounding panicked, as he stood in front of me. **

**"I've made up my mind Vector, there's nothing you or any of the others can do to stop me." I said angrily, disappearing and appearing behind him. **

**"But you're one of us just as much as you're a Sonic Hero! Your visions have helped us solve dozens of cases, and you've become a good friend to us! You can't just up and leave us!" he continued to try to reason with me, turning to me. **

**"I don't want to leave any more then you want me to, but I can't stay here. He'll come after me, you know he will." I tried to explain, turning to Vector. **

**"Then we'll keep him from you. Please Eclipse, don't leave. You're like family to us." Vector begged. ****I shook my head, smiling sadly. **

**"I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have to get as far away as I can before the rain lets up." I said, turning from Vector and beginning to walk away.****I spun around suddenly, throwing a red circular locket on a black chain to Vector, who barely managed to catch it. **

**"Give that to Charmy for me! And take care of him for me!" I called, before running as fast as I could away from the Chaotix Detective Head Quarters, the tears streaming down my face hidden by the rain.**

_So, it looks like I'll become a Chaotix Detective as well. And it seems that I come to see Charmy as a little brother. _Eclipse thought, smiling at the crocodile in front of her.

"I'm Charmy!" Charmy said excitedly, buzzing around Eclipse before stopping in front of her, holding his hand out.

"Glad to meet you Charmy." Eclipse said, shaking the young bee's hand, causing another vision.

**I was standing in a room that had lockers on one side, a couch on the other, and a desk with a chair behind it against another wall. The room was quite small, but that didn't seem to bother me as I sat on the couch. **

**"Nice going Eclipse! You solved that case in no time!" Charmy exclaimed happily, buzzing around me happily. **

**"I guess. It's not that big of a deal." I stated, blushing slightly at the way Charmy seemed to see me as better then the other Chaotix. **

**"He's right; you finished that case all on your own in only a few hours. It's very impressive." Vector told me, smiling at me. **

**"I already knew who did it thanks to my vision. I just had to find the proof is all, and I already knew what I was looking for. I'm not as good detective as you guys are." I protested, smiling slightly as Charmy sat on my lap and snuggled into one of my arms.**

**"Yeah, but your visions are part of what makes you, you. They're a great help. I'm glad you decided to join us." Vector told me, Espio nodding from behind him. ****I suddenly heard the familiar sound of the beeping on my wrist communicator. I quickly put my wrist near my mouth. **

**"What's up Rouge?" I asked, glad that Rouge and the Chaotix had promised to keep my secret from the Sonic Heroes. **

**"I'm in a bit of trouble and I'm going to need some help. Think you can make it to me in time to help?" Rouge asked smugly, I could tell there was someone close by, since she didn't say my name. **

**"Just tell me where you are and I'll be there in no time." I stated, just as smugly. I looked up to Vector, who seemed to be asking me something with his eyes. ****"Bring me my Chaos Emerald." I told him silently. He nodded, running up the stairs in the hallway to my room, where I kept the safe with my red Chaos Emerald. **

**"I'm in the jungle on Angel Island, near the Master Emerald shrine." Rouge told me, after which I heard a **_**swoosh**_** sound, which indicated that something had passed by the communicator. **

**"Trying to steal Knuckles' Master Emerald again and he caught you, right?" I asked, knowing my GUN partner well enough to know what she was up to.**

**"I hate it how you seem to know me so well. Now will you HURRY UP AND HELP ME?" Rouge screamed into the communicator, hurting my ears. **

**"Fine, fine. I'll be there in a minute." I said, pushing the button to cut off the transmition. **

**"Rouge needs your help again?" Vector asked me as he threw me my Chaos Emerald. **

**"Yeah, that's right. I'll be back later." I said, a flash coming from my body as my armour appeared. **

**"See you soon," I said in the familiar male sounding voice, before disappearing with a flash of red light.**

_So, I guess that the Chaotix and Rouge find out my secret before any of the Sonic Heroes do. _Eclipse thought, knowing from the vision that she could trust them not to tell the Sonic Heroes, since Rouge hadn't said her name when she was being attacked by Knuckles and asking for help.

"This is Espio, he's a little anti-social, so don't take it offensively if he doesn't say anything to you." Vector told Eclipse. She nodded, holding her hand out for Espio to shake. He looked a little confused, but shook her hand anyway, causing another vision.

**I was standing in front of a large robot, one of Eggman's, I guessed. I was, to my mild surprise, without my armour as I looked up at it. **

**"You need to get some new tricks Eggman, or else you'll never beat us." I stated, smirking.**

**"You're beginning to get on my nerves girl." Eggman told me angrily. **

**"First off, my name is Eclipse." I said, annoyed with him calling me girl. ****"And second," I began, jumping up and kicking the robot in the head, causing it to fall and slam into the ground, "I don't really care if I'm getting on your nerves Egg Head." I finished as I landed, smirking at the human. ****I was surprised to see Eggman smirking back at me. **

**"Fire!" he yelled. ****Suddenly thousands of laser beams shot from the robot, all of them pointed strait at me. I could see them all in slow motion, but my body wouldn't move, I couldn't get away.  
><strong>

**"Out of the way!" yelled a male voice that I recognized in the vision, but didn't recognize in the present. I felt something slam into me, moving me out of the way from the lasers. I turned in mid-air to see who had moved me, only to see Espio standing where I had been seconds ago. **

**"Espio!" I screamed as the lasers hit him.**

Eclipse had a hard time keeping herself calm after that vision, after all, it appeared that Espio had been killed by Eggman while protecting her.

"I think we'll become friends to. Maybe I'll help you guys on one of your cases sometime." she suggested, her smile slightly smaller, but no one seemed to notice. There was another sudden knock on Tails' door.

"I'll get it." Tails repeated, once again going to the door as everyone sat down. "Hey Sonic, you were looking for Shadow earlier, weren't you?" Tails asked as he came in with Rouge close behind him.

"Yeah," Sonic replied simply.

"Did you find him?" Tails asked.

"No, why?" Sonic asked immediately.

"He was supposed to meet Rouge for a GUN mission today, but he didn't show." Tails explained.

"It's not like him to be late. I tried to contact him, but he didn't answer." Rouge said, sounding slightly worried. Eclipse' eyes widened slightly.

_Oh crap! I was so busy running with the Faker and Amy that I forgot about my mission with Rouge! _Eclipse thought, inwardly panicking. She was glad that she had turned off her wrist communicator before she let her armour down though, or else she'd have to explain to Sonic and the others why she had it.

"Well, since she's here, she might as well meet Eclipse." Sonic suggested.

"Eclipse?" Rouge asked, confused.

"She's one of Sonic's new friends. She's a major Shadow fan." Tails explained.

"Don't find those very often." Rouge muttered to herself, looking at Eclipse. "Her?" Rouge asked, pointing to the black and red female hedgehog.

"Yep," Tails replied simply.

"She looks like a female version of Shadow!" Rouge exclaimed, causing everyone in the room to sweat drop.

"Knuckles said the same thing." Amy told her.

"You're Rouge the Bat. 17 year old master thief and part time GUN agent. You're also Shadow's GUN partner, right?" Eclipse asked.

"Yeah, that's right." Rouge said, pleased that someone knew so much of her.

"My name is Eclipse the Hedgehog," Eclipse said, holding her hand out for Rouge to shake. Rouge nodded, shaking Eclipse's hand, which caused another vision.

**I was walking through the forest, Rouge beside me. I didn't have my armour up, so it was probably after Rouge found out the truth.**

"**Must eradicate all Eggman robots!" I heard a voice yell suddenly. Omega appeared in front of us, suddenly shooting at me. **

**"Not again!" I yelled, dodging his attacks.**

**"Omega, stop! It's Shadow!" Rouge yelled, confirming my suspicions that this was after Rouge found out the truth. Immediately Omega stopped shooting at me. **

**"How come you do that EVERY time you see me?" I yelled angrily, pointing to the bullets in the tree behind me. **

**"I'm NOT an Eggman robot, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped shooting at me every time you see me!" I yelled at him. **

**"Identity confirmed. Mobian, Shadow the Hedgehog. Secretly Eclipse the Hedgehog." Omega said. **

**"Yes, that's right. I'm secretly a girl. NOW STOP SHOOTING AT ME EVERY TIME YOU SEE ME!" I screamed at him. Omega simple nodded, while Rouge was rubbing her ears. **

**"Geez Clipsy, you don't have to be so loud." she told me. **

**"Sorry." I apologized half heartedly.**

_So, I end up getting attacked by Omega...AGAIN! Oh well, he'll probably stop doing it after I scream at him like that. _Eclipse thought, a little peeved off that Omega would attack her again.

"I have to get going Sonic, my friends are probably worried about me. Maybe we'll meet again sometime." she said, running out of the house before anyone could stop her and Chaos Controlling close to where she was supposed to meet Rouge for the mission.

"Chaos Armour," she whispered as soon as she appeared near the spot. In a flash of light her Shadow Armour was covering her. She quickly turned on her wrist communicator, contacting Rouge immediately.

"Shadow?" Rouge asked as soon as Eclipse heard the first beep.

"Where are you?" Eclipse asked angrily in the familiar male voice.

"I'm with Sonic and the others. You were late, so I was going to get their help finding you." Rouge explained.

"I'm here now." Eclipse replied simply.

"Right, I'll be right there." Rouge said, cutting off the transition.

_Great...thanks to the Faker finding me I'm going to end up having to be both Shadow and Eclipse. You'll pay for this one day Faker. _Eclipse thought angrily, her fists clenching at her sides as she waited for Rouge.


	3. Shopping and a Nightmare

Eclipse looked through the window of her house, watching the rain fell against it. Her armour was down, something that was normal for her when she was alone now. She smiled slightly, remembering how she used to always have her armour up except on the night of the full moon, when she would let her armour down from midnight until morning. She had nothing to do today and oddly found herself bored. The Sonic Heroes were out fighting Eggman, the Chaotix were some unknown place on Mobius solving a case, and Rouge was stealing gems from a museum about three days flight from Ring City.

"There's no one around today and it's raining to boot. Just my luck." Eclipse murmured to herself angrily. She looked down at the cell phone in her hand. Amy had gotten it for her, insisting that she had it so that they could stay in contact at all times, since no one knew where Eclipse lived. Eclipse immediately began to think of the few days she had spent around the Sonic Heroes as Eclipse. The sound of Eclipse's cell phone going off brought her attention back to the present. She looked at the caller ID and was unsurprised to find it said Amy Rose. "Hey Ames, what's up?" Eclipse asked as soon as she opened the cell phone, since she had it so it would answer the phone call as soon as she opened it.

"Nothing much. We just defeated the Eggman Robot, and I thought me and you could go shopping at that new shopping center that just opened. It'd be better then just sitting at the window watching the rain hit i.," Amy replied, somehow knowing what she was doing. Eclipse found herself vaguely wondering how Amy knew her so well already after only a few days. "New shopping center? Oh, that one on the corner of Full Av and Moon St?" Eclipse asked, having heard Amy talking about it for the past few days.

"Yeah, that's right. I thought some clothes shopping would be nice. I mean, I've only ever seen you in that one dress." Amy pointed out.

"You're one to talk! You wear the same outfit everyday!" Eclipse said, laughing to herself.

"Exactly! We both need some new outfits! It'll be so cool! And Rouge even agreed to come, just as long as Shadow agrees to Chaos Control her there, since she's three days flight from here." Amy explained.

"You mean I might be able to meet Shadow?" Eclipse asked in a hopeful voice.

"Yeah. I thought it worked out perfectly." Amy said happily.

"You bet! Just give me about a half hour to get ready...I have to find my rain gear." Eclipse said.

"Alright, I'll call Rouge and tell her that you agreed. We'll meet at the mall in a half hour." Amy said.

"'Kay, see you later Ames." Eclipse said.

"See ya Clipz." Amy said, hanging up, surely to call Rouge.

"Clothes shopping with Amy and Rouge...sounds interesting." Eclipse thought aloud. She had never gone clothes shopping before, since she had lived on the ARK before, then as Shadow since. "Better put up my armour before Rouge contacts me on the communicator." Eclipse pointed out to herself. She grabbed her green Chaos Emerald and grabbed a purse that, again, Amy had gotten her. It was the same shade red as her eyes. She went to her closet, opening it and looking for her rain coat. "Here it is!" Eclipse said to herself, pulling out the rain coat. It was a striking cobalt blue with emerald green stripes and the arms were a soft peach. It was the only one that she could find when she first came to Mobius, so she didn't normally complain. "...Man, it really IS the same shade as Faker's fur! The stripes are the same color as his eyes and the arms are she same peach his arms are!" Eclipse yelled, only now noticing this. "Great...now I'm going to have to explain to Amy why I have a Sonic Fan rain coat." Eclipse said sadly, looking rejected. "Oh, I have to put this on and put up my armour before Rouge calls." Eclipse remembered, slipping her coat on without thinking before putting her armour up, her raincoat hidden under it. Almost as soon as Eclipse put her armour up she heard the familiar beeping of her communicator. She quickly Chaos Controlled outside before answering it, appearing on top of an apartment building, wanting to be wet so Rouge thought she'd been out for a while, which she usually was when she had her armour up. "What is it?" Eclipse asked in the familiar male voice, sounding angry.

"Amy wants me to go shopping with her and Eclipse at the new shopping mall on Full Av and Moon St, but I'm three days flight away. I was hoping you'd take me there using Chaos Control." Rouge explained.

"Why should I?" Eclipse asked angrily.

"Because you're my best friend and partner." Rouge replied immediately. Well, that certainly shut Eclipse up, having not expected Rouge to say that.

"Shadow?" Rouge asked after a few minutes of silence.

"...Fine." Eclipse said after a few more moments of silence. She heard Rouge...squeal? ...Yes, she definitely squealed. "Don't do that again." Eclipse said, rubbing her ears, which were now ringing.

"Oh, sorry Shadow," Rouge apologized.

"I'll be there in a few minutes...I have some business to take care of." Eclipse said, pushing the button to cut off the transmission before Rouge could ask what she had to do. Eclipse kept her armour up, jumping from roof to roof for a few minutes, making sure that there was no one in direct danger before she teleported to Rouge. Rouge jumped slightly when Eclipse, as Shadow, suddenly appeared beside her.

"What were you doing?" Rouge asked as soon as she realized it was Shadow.

"Checking the city." Was Eclipse's simple reply.

"...You really never say much to anyone, do you?" Rouge asked, her eyebrow raised. Eclipse simply looked at her, making no reply.

"Shouldn't we go now?" Eclipse asked suddenly, bringing Rouge's attention back to her.

"Oh, right! Yeah, we should get going." Rouge said. Eclipse placed her hand on Rouge's shoulder.

"Chaos...Control!" she yelled, her and Rouge disappearing in a flash of green light. They suddenly appeared beside Amy, who jumped at their sudden appearance.

"Is Eclipse here yet?" Rouge asked Amy immediately.

"No, not yet." Amy replied simply.

"Could you wait for a few minutes Shadow? Just until our friend comes? She really wants to meet you." Rouge said. Eclipse raised the eyebrow of her armour, before closing its eyes.

"No," she said, before Chaos Controlling away to a nearby alley.

"That was rude Shadow!" Rouge called after Eclipse, causing the girl to chuckle slightly in the alley.

"Armour down." she ordered the Chaos Emerald, throwing it up in the air. It shot the familiar beam of light at her, causing her armour to break apart and fall off. Eclipse immediately tapped her toes on the ground, turning on her hover shoes, before suddenly shooting off toward Rouge and Amy. "Hey guys." she called as soon as she stopped beside them. She looked around, as if expecting to find something.

"Shadow already left. I asked him if he'd stay...but then he just sorta...said no and Chaos Controlled away." Rouge explained sadly.

"That sounds a little harsh...but very Shadow-like." Eclipse stated, looking sad since she hadn't met Shadow.

"Yeah, it is. Sorry...I guess he wasn't in the best of moods today." Rouge apologized.

"It's alright, I'm sure I'll be able to meet him some other time...hopefully when he's in a good mood." Eclipse said, smiling at the bat.

"Come on, shopping time!" Amy said happily, grabbing both Rouge's and Eclipse's wrists and dragging them into the shopping center. It was a few hours later before Amy, Rouge and Eclipse came out of the shopping center, all of them laughing and smiling. Eclipse had to admit, she had fun with the two females. But she WAS wondering why Amy hadn't said anything about the Sonic Fan rain coat, but she decided not to push her luck.

"Well you guys, it's getting late, so I'd better get going home. We should do this again sometime." Eclipse said, holding a few shopping bags of her own.

"Want me to walk you home? Since it's so late?" Rouge asked.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. You have to remember, I outran Sonic the Hedgehog. I'll be fin.," Eclipse reassured them, smiling, before running off. "See you guys again tomorrow!" she called as she ran.

"See you Eclipse!" they both yelled after her. As soon as she was out of their sight she quickly Chaos Controlled back to her house. She appeared beside her bed, dropping her bags instantly, and flopping onto the bed. "Tired." She said groggily, answering the unasked question in her mind. "I sleep now." Eclipse said, falling asleep instantly.

**Nightmare/memory **

**I was running down the halls of the ARK, Maria's hand in mine. I had my armour up, just like the Professor told me. **

**"Come on, we have to hurry," I said in the familiar male voice, running as fast as I could while pulling Maria behind me. **

**"I can't run any faster!" Maria exclaimed. I knew she was getting tired, but the adrenaline running through her veins was helping her. I made it to the escape pods, quickly opening the door and pulling Maria in after me. **

**"You get in that pod; I'll be in right after you," Maria told me. ****I nodded, running to the large circle on the floor. I saw the glass come up from the floor before I could react. I turned around, seeing Maria near the controls, her hands over a lever. **

**"Maria!" I yelled to her.**

**"Sorry, but I won't be able to go to Earth with you," she apologized, the GUN soldiers that had been following us bursting through the door. There were three of them...I could have taken them. **

**"Step away from the lever!" one of them ordered Maria. **

**"Please, I beg of you...give them a chance to be happy," she said, smiling at me. **

**"Maria!" I yelled again, banging on the glass, trying to break it.**

**"Sayonara...Eclipse the Hedgehog." Maria said, pulling the lever. As the pod was shot downward toward the planet Earth I heard a gun shot. **

**"Maria!" I screamed.**

Eclipse awoke with a start, her body covered in cold sweat and tears. It was the memory that had haunted her since she had gotten her memory back. From time to time, part of her wished she had never remembered.

"It's that memory again...that's the 4th time this week...I'm having it more often then usual." Eclipse said to herself, standing up. She walked to her dresser, pulling out one of the drawers, pulling out her pair of black and red pyjamas. She quickly changed into them, taking her beddings and her usual outfit and putting it in the washer in the basement. Eclipse went back up stairs, looking at the digital clock in her living room. "It's only 2am? Wow...the memory usually goes longer then that." Eclipse said to herself, before pausing. "Might as well take a shower, not like I'm going to get back to sleep tonight." she said, walking back up the stairs to her bathroom and turning on the water. She turned it to scorching hot, before taking off her pyjamas and stepping into the shower. The water burned her skin, yet she sighed in contentment. The burning sensation took her mind off of other things, which was exactly what she wanted. She decided to wash her fur while she was in there, so she wouldn't have to do it later. After making sure her fur was as shiny as her pearly white teeth she turned the water off and wrapped her towel around herself, picking up her pyjamas and carrying them back to her room with her. "Another sleepless night...just what I need." Eclipse muttered to herself angrily.

* * *

><p>The fourth chapter has to be re-written due to Ana needing to be replaced, I do hope you can all wait until it is up. Have a nice night!<p> 


	4. New Friends

Here is the rewritten chapter 4...many of the people who read the original version of this will notice a great difference between Andrea Stone, and her original (can't think of any other way to put it), Ana Which. After reading this please go to my page and vote on which you like more, Andrea or Ana.

* * *

><p>It had been a few months since Eclipse had went shopping with Amy and Rouge. A black flash of light appeared in the middle of the night in the alley that Eclipse had teleported to that day a few months ago to go from Shadow to her true self. Two Mobians appeared from the flash, both female, one was 16 and the other 13.<p>

The 16 year old was a baby blue fox with dark blue eyes, a white muzzle and the part of her tail that should have been white was pale yellow. She also had large baby blue bat ears and red bat wings, not to mention the pale yellow dreadlocks. Her dreadlocks reached her knees and her bangs, which framed her face, covered her left eye and part of her right eye. She was wearing a violet dress that reached her hips and had a white star on the chest, violet shorts that reached her knees with the bottom half of the shorts white, violet fingerless gloves with white trim and violet shoes with white stripes going down the middle. Slung over her left shoulder was a black laptop bag with red trim.

The 13 year old was a blood red cat with deep blue eyes, a white muzzle and the tip of her tail was dark brown. She had chin length dark brown hair and bright pink angel wings sprouting from her back. She was wearing a pale pink off the shoulder dress that went to her knees, a slit going up the left side till her hip. Shorts reaching her knees were under the dress, though most of the sides had been cut out to reveal her rather soft looking red fur. High heeled sandals adorned her feet and her hands were covered with white groves with golden rings at the ends.

"Alexiss...where are we?" the 13 year old demanded.

"I 'on't know Princess Andrea." the 16 year old said to the younger girl.

"That's hardly an answer at all!" the younger girl, Andrea, snapped at the elder girl.

"I know I've seen it somewhere before..." the older girl, Alexiss, said slowly. "We should look around your 'Ighness...see if I can 'member the place." Alexiss suggested.

"True...and the sun is rising, so hopefully it won't take you too long." Andrea stated, flapping her wings and taking to the sky, Alexiss following close behind.

Eclipse stretched as she left her house. Today she was going to be hanging out at Tails' workshop and helping him with his new invention. She smiled to herself for an unknown reason and activated her hover shoes before shooting off.

Alexiss' eyes scanned the streets, trying to find someone she recognized. When she saw a black and red blur pass by she had immediately assumed it was Shadow, until catching a glimpse of a smile on the hedgehog's face. Without thinking Alexiss took to the skies again, flying after the fast running hedgehog, a confused and slightly annoyed Andrea right behind her.

Eclipse stopped suddenly at hearing her cell phone ring. She looked at the caller ID and was surprised to find that it said Sonic the Hedgehog. "Amy gave Sonic my cell phone number?" Eclipse wondered, not even noticing that she hadn't called him Faker like she usually did. She quickly flipped open the phone and put it to her ear. "Something wrong Sonic?" she asked, confused as to why Sonic was calling her.

"Yeah, Eggman's attacking the center of Ring City. We'll be there in a while, but the rest of us are too far away to get there right away. Think you can hold Eggman off till we get there?" he asked.

"Of course I can. No one attacks my city and gets away with it," Eclipse stated.

"Good. See you as soon as we can," Sonic said, hanging up the phone.

"Look out Doctor, your robot doesn't have a chance against me," Eclipse said, smirking evilly, before speeding off towards the center of Ring City.

"I knew it! Tis Eclipse!" Alexiss stated, smiling her herself. At least now she knew where she was, none other than the famed Mobian city of Rings. "Sounds like Eggm'n' attacking the city your 'Ighness...shall we 'elp 'er?" Alexiss asked Andrea.

"...I suppose...it couldn't hurt..." Andrea responded with a sigh.

"I thank ya, your 'Ighness." Alexiss said, flying after Eclipse with Andrea close behind.

Eclipse stopped at the center of the city, seeing an army of Egg Pawns terrorizing Mobians.

"Who said you could terrorise the Mobians in my city?" Eclipse yelled when she saw Eggman in his Egg Carrier.

"You're not Sonic!" he yelled.

"Of course I'm not Sonic! Now get out of my city before I make you regret attacking here!" she yelled angrily.

"Egg Pawns, attack the impostor!" Eggman yelled. Eclipse activated her hover shoes, running towards the enemy. She attacked the Egg Pawns with kicks and punches, but soon realized that even with her strength and speed there were too many for her to handle on her own without using a Chaos attack.

"Need some 'elp Ms. Eclipse?" a female voice asked suddenly. Eclipse turned, seeing the two females that she had noticed had been following her.

"Um...sure, if you want." Eclipse answered, smiling slightly at them. The fox girl snapped her fingers, similar to how Amy summoned her Piko Piko Hammer. Twin Tonfas appeared in the fox girl's hands.

"Allow me, Ms. Eclipse." the fox girl said politely, jumping toward a group of Egg Pawns, slamming the Tonfas into each robot in the group.

"Aren't you going to...help her?" Eclipse asked the cat when she realised that the girl had yet to move from her spot.

"Alexiss needn't help. It's her job to do this." Andrea responded in a biting tone. Eclipse simply sighed and continued to attack the Egg Pawns with kicks and punches. In a few minutes all the Egg Pawns were destroyed.

"I warned you to leave." Eclipse stated, snarling at Eggman. Alexiss sprang into the air, about to slam her tonfas into the Egg Carrier before something hit her and she fell to the ground, giving a small and pained cry.

"I'll be back! And next time I'll win!" Eggman yelled, laughing manically, before flying off in his Egg Carrier.

"Are you alright Eclipse?" a worried voice came from behind the three girls. They all turned, seeing Sonic standing, there looking a little worried.

"I'm fine, thanks to these two." Eclipse said, pointing to the slowly standing fox girl and still hovering cat girl, despite the fact that the cat hadn't helped at all.

"Twasn't a problem Ms. Eclipse." the fox girl stated, snapping her fingers, her weapons disappearing.

"Indeed." the cat girl agreed simply.

"The name is Sonic the Hedgehog, and thanks for helping Eclipse here. What are your names?" Sonic asked.

"I am the knight Alexiss 'Ai and tis my princess, Andrea Stone." the fox girl introduced, Andrea's air of superiority only getting stronger.

"Alexiss Ai?" Sonic asked.

"No, Phai. However Alexiss has a very...odd accent, and cannot even say her own name properly." Andrea explained.

"Oh, Phai." Sonic said.

"Well, we should be going, we 'on't want to be a bother to Ms. Eclipse..." Alexiss said, looking at Andrea as if to ask if she was correct in her assumption.

"Wait!" Eclipse said before Alexiss and Andrea could leave.

"Yes?" Andrea asked, sounding slightly annoyed as she clearly wanted to leave.

"Well um...my friends just recently moved and I was wondering...since you helped me if...um..." Eclipse said, trying to find the right words. _I'm really not good at this sort of thing. I'm __**Shadow the Hedgehog**__ for god sake! _She thought. "If you would...um...like to be my...um...new fr...friends?" Eclipse asked.

Alexiss looked at Andrea, awaiting the princess' response, before Andrea nodded her head.

"Alright. I suppose it could do no harm..." Andrea said.

"Great! Two more members of the gang!" Sonic said happily, smiling his signature smile.

"Oh, and you don't have to call me Ms. Eclipse, since we're friends now," Eclipse said to Alexiss, who looked at Andrea who simply nodded.

"Well, we might as well get going to Tail's house," Sonic said, taking off. Eclipse sighed.

"Impatient as always," she said, turning on her hover shoes and racing after Sonic.

Andrea took off into the sky, Alexiss following without a word and the two flying after Sonic and Eclipse with ease.

* * *

><p>Review and tell me what you think! And don't forget, vote on if you like Andrea or Ana better!<p> 


	5. New Friends Meet Sonic Heroes

Another re-written chapter, with many changes from the original, much talking is cut out, making this chapter much shorter than it was originally. Hope you all like.

* * *

><p>"New friends?" Tails asked after the group of Mobians had entered his house.<p>

"Yes, that's right. They helped me out defeating Eggman's army and I decided, since my old friends moved away recently, that they could be some new friends of mine." Eclipse explained to Tails, who nodded.

"Hello Mr. Tails. I'm the knight Alexiss 'Ai, and tis my princess Andrea Stone." Alexiss said, bowing to Tails in obvious respect.

"A female knight? That's not very common..." Tails pointed out to Andrea, blushing from being bowed to.

"It's simple really. Alexiss was the best at her training is all...there aren't very many males in my kingdom either, so most knights and such are female." Andrea stated calmly, Alexiss looking proud at her princess' statement of her skill.

"A knight at your age? That's like...unheard of, isn't it?" Sonic asked Alexiss.

"Not 'mpossible...just unlikely. I'm also my princess' personal knight, sworn to protect her from harm." Alexiss stated, looking slightly prouder.

"I'd like to fight you some time..." Eclipse said suddenly. She was still Shadow after all, and the chance to fight with someone like Alexiss was one she didn't want to pass up. Alexiss looked at Andrea, as if silently asking permission to fight with the black and red hedgehog.

"Alexiss will fight you after we have gotten...settled in." Andrea stated, Eclipse smirking slightly and nodding in agreement.

"Oh that's right. We were never properly introduced." Eclipse said suddenly, smiling at Alexiss and Andrea. "No...we were not." Andrea agreed after a moment of thought.

"My name is Eclipse the Hedgehog." Eclipse said, holding her hand out for one of the two girls to shake, whichever spoke first.

"My name is Alexiss 'Ai, knight of Princess Andrea Stone." Alexiss said after Andrea had given her permission, shaking Eclipse's hand, causing a vision.

**Vision.**

**I was standing in the rain again, holding the familiar duffle bag protectively. Alexiss and Andrea were standing behind me, Andrea leaning casually against a nearby tree with her arms crossed over her chest while Alexiss was looking at the ground with her fists clenched to keep herself from stopping me. **

**"I never believed you'd leave because of him, of all people." Andrea said suddenly, her casual mask cracking for a second before it returned again. **

**"Neither did I. But he knows the truth now, and I can't risk staying with you to have my heart broken again." I said sadly. **

**"Indeed. " Andrea agreed, though the grip on her arms was tighter.**

"**I can't blame ya for wanting to leave, for not wanting your 'eart to be broken. But still... twon't be the same without you Eclipse." Alexiss said sadly, her fists clenching harder. **

**"Sorry Alexiss, but this isn't something I can risk." I said, knowing that she would understand me better than her princess. **

**"Yeah..." She agreed sadly.  
><strong>

**"If you truly must leave...then be kind enough to take this with you." Andrea said, pulling a necklace from her pants pocket. The chain was gold and sparkled even without light. On it were two charms, like on a charm bracelet. On closer inspection I saw that one was pale pink circle with a white three point crown in the middle and the other was a violet circle with a white five point star in the middle, the marks of Andrea and Alexiss in turn. **

**"So you won't forget Princess Andrea or I." Was Alexiss' explanation, Andrea walking from the tree and placing the necklace softly in my free hand, closing my fingers around it. **

**"I won't." I promised, turning and running away quickly. **

**End of vision.**

_So...looks like they meet me after Tails does and before Vector does when I go to run away from the Sonic Heroes. _Eclipse thought, smiling at the two. "And I am Princess Andrea Stone." Andrea said, shaking Eclipse's hand as soon as Alexiss let go, causing another vision.

**Vision.  
>I stood in a medieval-looking city, looking up at the balcony of the castle, everyone around me doing the same. Andrea stood there, smiling ever so slightly down at us, Alexiss standing dutifully at her side. I knew that the female knight could not be happier.<br>End of vision.**

_So...Andrea returns to her kingdom after all, Alexiss along with her..._ Eclipse thought, not really sure how she should feel about that. A sudden noise caught the three Mobian's attention as Amy walked into the room with Knuckles close behind.

"Greetings. My name is Alexiss 'Ai." Alexiss said, bowing to Amy.

"And I am Andrea Stone." Andrea said, not noticing that Knuckles was staring at Alexiss as though there were something wrong with her.

"I'm Amy Rose, it's nice to meet you both." Amy said.

"Oh, and don't worry about them taking Sonic from you. Neither of them are going to." Eclipse promised. Alexiss and Andrea nodded, Amy immediately smiling.

"My name is Alexiss 'Ai, and tis a pleasure to meet ya." Alexiss said, bowing to Knuckles as she had to Amy and Tails.

"You have Echidna blood." Knuckles snarled.

"Yes, that's right. My grandmother was an Echidna." Alexiss answered without a second thought. "Unfortunately she died a few years ago." Andrea added. Knuckles simply huffed, sitting on one of the chairs while now ignoring Alexiss.

"He's probably upset now. He finds out there was another Echidna, only to find out they died a few years ago." Tails explained to Alexiss and Andrea.

"Being the last full blood of your species must be lonely." Alexiss said sadly. "Indeed." Andrea agreed.

"We should be off...we must find somewhere I deem acceptable to live while we stay here. " Andrea told the Sonic Heroes.

"Twas nice to meet ya all, and we'll come see you again soon." Alexiss promised, leaving the house after Andrea.

* * *

><p>Hope you all liked. Please review and for those who have read the old Eclipse the Hedgehog, please vote on the poll on my page. Thx!<p> 


	6. Andrea and Alexiss' New Home

For those who were wondering Alexiss' accent is due to her being based off me, I changed it so that she sounded more like me with her accent. As for her different way of acting and old-ish way of speak it's due to her being from a kingdom and her **not **being from a different world. Here's the next chapter.

* * *

><p>"Princess Andrea...we've looked at every available 'ouse in the city...and we've yet to find somewhere ya'd be willing to call 'ome." Alexiss pointed out suddenly as the two walked down the streets of Ring City, her feet hurting from all the walking, though she'd never admit it. They'd been walking for several hours, the sun low on the horizon.<p>

"Worry not Alexiss...I believe I have found a...suitable accommodation..." Andrea assured the older girl, walking almost dutifully towards a large hill. They walked towards it in silence, Alexiss' silent whimpers of pain unheard by the princess.

"A tower, your 'Ighness?" Alexiss asked when they'd reached the top of the hill to find a two story brick tower painted crimson.

"Indeed...this tower is the closest thing we'll find to a castle in this city, so it will have to do." Andrea stated, Alexiss nodding in understanding.

Alexiss was surprised to see that the tower was already furnished, yet it was clear that no one had lived there in years. One room, the one for Andrea, was clearly made to be home to a princess. The furniture was expensive but old looking, as if from medieval timed. Another room looked like that of a servant or knight, basic medieval bed was really all that was in that room. The third bedroom was clearly for a child, a commoner more likely than not, the bed too small for a teen such as Alexiss. All the bedrooms were on the second floor with windows looking out down the hill, the first floor a large dining room and kitchen and the basement like dungeons.

"Yes...this place will do." Andrea agreed with her earlier statement, looking at her own room. The bed was made of gold-like metal with intricately designed head and footboard, mostly see-through white curtains hanging from the metal surrounding it, the white bedding clearly made for comfort. The room also had a wooden wardrobe, desk with large mirror and beautiful crimson carpet. The walls were painted a very pale pink.

"If that is your wish, Princess Andrea." Alexiss responded, bowing respectfully to the red cat-hedgehog-bird hybrid. The only thing in Alexiss' room was a very old looking, uncomfortable looking bed. The pillow was so dusty it was permanently grey, and was incredibly lumpy.

"...We shall inform our new 'friends' of where our home is tomorrow." Andrea stated, Alexiss nodding again, wishing Andrea pleasant dreams and going to her room.

"So, you guys are all set up?" Tails asked the next day when Andrea and Alexiss had come over.

"Indeed, we are. We now live in the tower on the hill, near the edge of the city." Andrea stated, Tails nodding to show that he knew the place.

"No one has lived there for generations, so no one should bother you for living there." Tails assured Andrea, who was now the one nodding, though this one was in approval.

"Good...no unneeded disturbances." Andrea said, sounding almost...happy.

"Do you want a phone or anything installed? I wouldn't be too hard for me too-" Tails was cut off by a now enraged looking Andrea.

"No!" She exclaimed. "No tek-no-low-gee!" The princess continued furiously, Tails looking rather shocked.

"I...I didn't mean to..." He tried to explain.

"Princess Andrea...we must be going..." Alexiss said suddenly, clearly trying to calm the angry princess.

"Indeed...come, Alexiss, time to return to the tower." Andrea told the knight, who nodded as the two left without another word.

"What did I say...?" Tails asked the silence in confusion.

* * *

><p>There is a reason that Andrea hated technology, which will be revealed sometime in the next few chapters. Hope you liked, review and vote on the poll!<p> 


	7. The Truth Revealed

Here is the next chapter, hope you like.

* * *

><p>"They live in a tower?" Sonic asked, the rest of the Sonic Heroes looking just as shocked, everyone in Tails', said fox nodding.<p>

"For some reason I'm not surprised though." Eclipse stated, the Sonic Heroes nodding in agreement.

"Yeah. It's weird...but it feels like they belong there or something...perhaps because Andrea is a princess and all." Sonic added, nodding slightly. A sudden, very familiar, beeping brought everyone's attention to Eclipse. She looked down at her wrist communicator, suddenly realising that she had forgotten to turn it off before coming to Tails' today.

"Oh geez, I totally forgot...I have to get going. I'll be back in a while." Eclipse said, running quickly out of the house before disappearing, not able to come up with a valid excuse in her semi-panicked state.

She reappeared on top of her house, putting up her armour quickly.

"Hello?" Eclipse asked in the familiar voice.

"Hey Shadow. We have to infiltrate Eggman's new base. I'll send you the location and meet you there in an hour." Rouge said.

"Roger." Eclipse said simply, waiting for the location to be transmitted before the cut off the communication. Eclipse looked at the location, realising it was maybe 15 minutes away at top speed. "Might as well run there." She muttered to herself, jumping off of the roof and starting to run at top speed, absently noting that she was moving faster than usual.

Alexiss answered the door almost before Rouge had even knocked. "'Ello Miss Rouge." Alexiss said formally.

"Hey Alexiss. I know you and Andrea are probably busy but I need to talk to her." Rouge explained, Alexiss nodding and opening the door for Rouge to enter. The mix-breed closed the door behind the bat before leading her to the young princess.

"Who is it?" Andrea asked when Alexiss entered a chamber with Rouge.

"Miss Rouge, your 'Ighness." Alexiss replied calmly.

"Princess Andrea...I request to borrow your knight. I have the feeling Shadow and I will be needing her for our infiltration in an hour." Rouge explained to the red princess. Andrea looked thoughtful at this, clearly not sure if she should indulge the request or not.

"...I accept your request." Andrea said, looking at Rouge in a way that told her Alexiss being hurt on this mission would not be taken lightly.

"Thank you Princess Andrea." Rouge said, looking at Alexiss.

"I will return as soon as I can, your 'Ighness." Alexiss assured the princess before leaving with Rouge.

Rouge flew as quietly as possible towards Eggman's base, Alexiss flying just as silently beside her.

_Shadow's been acting really weird lately...well not weird, just...happier? Yeah, I think that's it. He's happier. He has been since...around the time Eclipse showed up actually. I'll have to ask him if he has a girlfriend or something. _Rouge thought, smiling slightly at the thought of Shadow having a girlfriend, having no idea how wrong she was.

After landing at the base Alexiss and Rouge met with Shadow, out of the corner of her eye Alexiss saw a look of shock on Shadow's face upon seeing her before it quickly disappeared, as if never there to begin with.

"Who is she?" He asked Rouge angrily, acting as if Alexiss wasn't standing directly in front of him.

"She's a friend of mine. I thought it'd be a good idea to bring her along, in case something goes wrong. She's a good fighter, according to Eclipse." Rouge explained.

"...Fine." Shadow said simply, turning and looking at the building. Rouge pulled out a map of it, pointing to the place they were at.

"We're here, and the place we need to get to is...right here." Rouge said, pointing to a place 5 floors lower then where they currently were. "They're probably be a lot of security, so we have to be careful." Rouge warned.

"Right." Alexiss said simply, nodding.

"Alright, Shadow and I will go this way, and you will go that way. We'll meet up here and go to our objective from there." Rouge ordered, the fox-girl nodding again.

"Let's go." Shadow said simply, walking carefully into the building with Rouge following close behind. Alexiss took to the sky once more, flying quickly over the building.

Alexiss quickly flew into the back entrance of the base, expertly dodging the security and cameras. It didn't take long for her to meet where Rouge had specified.

"Alright, let's go." Rouge said, taking the lead, Shadow, Alexiss and Ana following close behind, in that order.

_Too much tek-no-low-gee 'ere... _Alexiss thought angrily, though she didn't show this for fear of drawing Rouge or Shadow's attention even if they were in front of her.

The group ran as quickly as they could out of the base, having gotten the information from the master computer, which was their mission. They quickly made it out, Alexiss taking to the sky as she felt more comfortable this way, since they were faster when flying. An explosion from a few feet in front of the group stopping them instantly. From the explosion came an E-1007 Heavy Egg Hammer, causing Alexiss and Rouge to gulp slightly.

"Tis not good..." Alexiss muttered, still angry with the large amount of 'tek-no-low-gee' around the base, even angrier that she now had to fight a 'row-boat' as she called it. Rouge nodded in agreement with Alexiss statement. Not only was the thing armoured, but it's armour was armoured! It was impossible to hurt the thing! "We fight! For our mission and kingdom we fight!" Alexiss said determinedly, summoning her tonfas. Rouge getting in a fighting position, not bothering to correct the girl, who had mistakenly called where they were a kingdom rather than a country.

"Try this row-boat!" Alexiss yelled, jumping up incredibly high until she was over the robot's head, slamming her tonfas down on its head with all her strength. It was just as she'd thought, the head wasn't armoured at all. The bot's body slowly cracked inside it's armour, before breaking in half along with it's armour. "Too easy." Alexiss said simply as she landed, looking around cautiously. Her cautiousness was proven to be well placed, as a beam shot towards Rouge. "Miss Rouge! Look out!" Alexiss yelled, Rouge turning to see what was headed towards her, only to freeze up when she saw it. Just as the beam was about to hit Rouge Shadow appeared in front of her, taking the hit for her.

"Shadow!" Rouge yelled in worry and shock. When the beam finally stopped Shadow was still standing, seemingly perfectly fine except he was huffing and puffing.

"Chaos...Spear!" Shadow yelled, sending in the direction that the beam had come from. The explosion from a little ways out of sight told the group that Shadow had hit his mark.

Suddenly Shadow's body began to tremble violently, his breathing getting more laboured.

"Mr. Shadow? Are you healthy?" Alexiss asked in worry. Before he could answer pieces of his skin and fur began to fall off his body. After a few seconds Eclipse was in Shadow's place, her body still trembling and she didn't seem to realise that her armour was gone.

"Eclipse?" Rouge yelled in shock, causing the female hedgehog to turn slowly to her, smiling apologetically.

"Sorry I...didn't tell you...Please...don't tell..." Eclipse said, before everything suddenly went black, and she heard everyone calling her name before she felt herself slam into the cold ground and all senses stopped working.

* * *

><p>Hope you liked the chapter, review and vote.<p> 


	8. To the Chaotix!

Wow, three chapters posted in one day? I have too much free time...then again, not allowed to leave my house for a week, so not really a surprise. Hope you like the chapter!

* * *

><p>Eclipse's eyes slowly opened, only to find herself on an old looking wooden bed in a pale stone bedroom. Before she could do anything a vision hit her, surely from when whoever carried her here had carried her here.<p>

**Vision.**

**I found myself standing in front of Andrea and Alexiss' tower, I could feel tears in my closed eyes, and I felt someone squeezing my hand. I opened my eyes and looked up at them, but my vision was too blurred to make them out clearly, but I obviously knew who it was because I buried my face into their chest and let myself cry as a felt gloved male hands stroking my quills comfortingly. **

**"It'll be ok Eclipse." He continuously to murmur into my ear, slowly comforting me. I knew the voice, but I couldn't pinpoint it in the present, which really peeved me off.  
>The sudden sound of a horse's footsteps was heard in the distance, along with the squeaking of metal wheels. <strong>

**"I apologise everyone, but it is time for us to return home." Came Andrea's voice from the doorway of the tower, two males standing on Andrea's right and Alexiss' left, a smaller boy between them. **

**"Take care everyone." Alexiss said with a sad smile. "Let us all meet again someday." She said with that same sad smile as the horse-drawn carriage stopped just off the side. "- - - - -, take good care of Eclipse. Goodbye Everyone!" Andrea called, everyone who was leaving getting into the carriage before it began to leave. **

**"Goodbye guys." I managed to whisper before crying again, being pulled into the arms of the person who had comforted me before.**

**End of Vision.**

_Guess I should have known that Andrea and Alexiss wouldn't stay here forever. _Eclipse thought sadly, absently noting that she couldn't hear the person Andrea had been talking to before getting into the carriage, as even though she'd only known Andrea and Alexiss for a couple of days she already felt close to them...or, at least, the older of them. She also did not recognise any of the blurred figures around the two. It took her a moment to remember that she should be at Eggman's Base in a cell or something, before she heard familiar voices on the other side of the old-looking wood door.

"I can't believe she never told me...I mean, I thought we were best friends, but she kept the most important secret she had from me." Came Rouge's voice, making Eclipse feel a little bad that she hadn't told Rouge the truth.

"Everyone has secrets that they keep from even though closest to them Rouge." Andrea said, oddly seeming to be trying to cheer up the obviously betrayed bat.

"Yes, take us for example. The kingdom we're from-" The sudden silence told Eclipse that what Alexiss had been saying was not supposed to be told.

"That is our business alone Alexiss." Andrea snarled angrily, this shocking Eclipse as Andrea usually kept a calm and cool tone. "I...I apologise, your 'Ighness." Alexiss said, likely kneeling to show her apology was true. Eclipse sighed, blocking out the rest of the annoying conversation.

_That's right...Rouge and Alexiss know the truth now...I doubt Alexiss would keep something like that a secret from Andrea either... _Eclipse thought, mixed emotions flowing through her at the thought. _Jumping in front of Rouge like that certainly wasn't the most Shadow thing I've ever done. I could have easily just Chaos Controlled her out of the way, but I just panicked when I saw the beam fired at her like that. ...Wonder if they told anyone else... _Eclipse thought worriedly as she slowly sat up, knowing that if she continued to lie down she'd fall back asleep.

_Miss Eclipse should be awake by now. _Alexiss thought, standing up. "Princess Andrea, I request to go see if Miss Eclipse has awoken." Alexiss said, still kneeling in front of the red princess.

"Go ahead." Andrea said simply, Alexiss walking to the door that lead to the room in Andrea's tower that she had put Eclipse in. She walked in, seeing Eclipse sitting up but leaning back against the wall. "Your 'Ighness! Miss Eclipse is awake!" Alexiss called out to Andrea and Rouge, the later running quickly into the room with the earlier walked calmly.

"...Morning." Eclipse said after a few moments of tense silence. "...You're mad at me. Right, Rouge?" Eclipse asked.

"Of course I'm mad! Even though we were supposed to be best friends you never told me who you really were!" Rouge yelled angrily, Andrea and Alexiss seemingly disappearing, obviously not wanting to get dragged into this fight...or maybe to tell the others that she was awake, since Eclipse vaguely remembered them talking about them telling the Sonic Heroes that they had found her passed out in an alley.

"I had no intention for anyone to know the true me. If Faker hadn't found me that night a few months ago then none of you would know about me." Eclipse stated emotionlessly.

"Stop acting like that! You're not like that! I know so...because I've seen you smile Eclipse." Rouge said desperately.

"It was all an act. I had to keep my true identity a secret, and if I acted the same you, if not everyone, would have noticed." Eclipse said, not looking at Rouge. Rouge clutched her fists, pure rage on her face, before walking out of the room (think of Rouge when she gets super mad at Knuckles in Sonic X). Shortly after she did Eclipse heard what sounded like Rouge kicking the wall.

" Rouge, the walls are made of stone...don't kick them." Andrea ordered, proving Eclipse's suspicions. Eclipse pulled out her Chaos Emerald, looking at it for a moment before muttering the well-known words.

"Chaos Control."

Alexiss had returned after going to the Sonic Heroes, telling them that Eclipse had awoken. She went to Eclipse' room out of curiosity, seeing her missing. "M-M-M...MISS ECLIPSE IS GONE!" Alexiss yelled in panic.

"WHAT?" Rouge, running into the room, only to see that Alexiss was telling the truth. "She must have Chaos Controlled out of here." Rouge muttered angrily.

"It is to be expected, with the way you got angry with her." Andrea pointed out.

"We'd better go find her before she does something reckless." Rouge said, Andrea nodding in agreement.

"Princess Andrea, I request-" Rouge began, only to be cut off.

"Alexiss, go search for the missing hedgehog...return here by nightfall, Eclipse found or not." Andrea ordered, Alexiss nodding and leaving with Rouge.

Eclipse appeared in her house, nearly falling to her knees before she held herself up using the wall. She hadn't recovered much energy before she used that Chaos Control so she wasn't surprised that she was so weak now. She knew that she only had about a half hour before Rouge and Alexiss checked here, so she'd have to find somewhere else to go. She quickly called GUN, changing her voice even without her armour, and telling them that she had some business to attend to and wouldn't be able to take missions for a while. She then went upstairs and packed everything she'd need before sitting on her bed and trying to figure out where to go. She thought of all the people she had re-met at Tails' house, and the Chaotix suddenly came to mind. She pulled her cell phone back out, dialling the number that she had memorised long ago for a reason she couldn't remember and hit the talk button. The phone on the other line rang a few times before it was answered.

"Chaotix Detective Agency, what can we do for you?" Vector's voice came from the other side of the phone.

"...Vector?" Eclipse asked after a few moments, sounding shy and afraid, which happened to be exactly how she felt at the moment.

"Eclipse?" Vector asked in surprise.

"Yeah, it's me...listen, I need a place to stay for a while and I was...was wondering if you had a free room." Eclipse explained.

"Yeah, of course we do. But what's wrong?" Vector asked worriedly.

"I don't really feel like talking about it..." Eclipse said quietly, sounding fairly upset.

"Oh, alright. Well, you can stay here as long as you like, no questions asked." Vector told her.

"Thanks Vector. I'll be there in a few minutes." Eclipse said, hanging up and packing the last of the things she'd be bringing with her.

"Who was that?" Espio asked, his one eye opened as he sat Indian-style on the ground in front of his locker, having just finished meditating.

"It was Eclipse. She'll be staying here for a while." Vector explained.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Charmy asked, his head tilted slightly the way that little kids did when they were confused as he buzzed around in front of Vector.

"I don't know, but she sounded really upset. She said that she didn't want to talk about it." Vector said.

"We'd better go clean out the guest room before she gets here." Charmy pointed out.

"Alright, let's go clean the guest room for her." Vector agreed.

"Roger." Espio said simply, running up the stairs to the guest room with Vector and Charmy close behind him.

Eclipse appeared in front of the Chaotix Detective Agency, a watch that looked like her wrist communicator replacing it and her cell phone off. She quickly put her Chaos Emerald into her purse, not wanting Vector and the others to see it. She was sure that by now the rest of the Sonic Heroes would be looking for her, as Alexiss and Rouge would have surely told Sonic and the others once they realised she was gone. She knocked on the door, waiting for someone to answer it. Espio answered the door, grabbing her wrist and running quickly up the stairs into the room that she'd be in before letting her go and closing the door behind them.

"What was that for?" Eclipse asked angrily.

"Sonic and Tails are here. They're looking for you. We thought it'd be best if they didn't see you." Charmy explained, appearing out of seemingly nowhere.

"Oh...thank you. I don't want them knowing I'm here." Eclipse said.

"You unpack, Espio and I have to go back downstairs before Sonic or Tails start to wonder where we went." Charmy said, opening the door quietly and leaving, Espio closing the door as he left. Eclipse then started to unpack.

"So you haven't seen or heard from her either?" Tails asked sadly.

"No, sorry Tails." Vector lied, Espio and Charmy coming into the room right then.

"Who was at the door?" Vector asked, though he already knew the answer they'd give.

"No one. Not even a note or a parcel." Charmy lied, sighing as if upset that it hadn't been something big.

"We'll keep an eye out for her while we're doing cases." Vector told the two mammals in the living room.

"Alright. Thanks anyway Vector." Sonic said sadly, his ears drooping ever so slightly as he left, Tails close behind.

"It was Eclipse. She's up in her room." Charmy said as soon as he was sure Sonic and Tails were long gone, answering the question before Vector could even ask it.

"I thought so. It's about time to eat, so I'll go buy something to food." Vector said, heading towards the door.

"With what money Vector?" Espio pointed out, causing the crocodile to stop in his tracks.

"Um..." Vector said, obviously trying to think if they had a secret stash of money or something.

"Are they gone?" Came a familiar female voice suddenly. The Chaotix looked up the stairs to where the voice was coming from, Vector and Charmy gaping while Espio simply looked a little shocked. Eclipse was standing at the top of the stairs, looking totally different then she had a few minutes ago. Her quills were brushed down so that they also covered the two quills that were always down but the red streaks were still able to be seen and she had a pair of black goggles that were darker then her fur with bright red lenses and bright yellow fabric on her head to keep the quills down. Her usual dress was replaced with a black t-shirt the same shade of back as her goggles that showed off a bit of her stomach, a bright red sleeveless tube top over the t-shirt and a red skirt that reached her mid thighs that had bright yellow diamond shaped marks with black diamond shaped marks inside the yellow ones. Her usual gloves were replaced by a pair of vertically striped black and bright red fingerless gloves that went up to her elbows, her restrictor rings still over her gloves for obvious reasons. But what surprised the Chaotix the most was that she had replaced her hover shoes with a pair of bright red high heel boots that reached her knees and were dark grey that looked black when not in the light at the sides and had bright yellow trim. Around her neck was a black choker with a yellow ball bell on it that chimed slightly whenever she moved. "...Do I look ok?" Eclipse asked suddenly, fidgeting slightly from being stared at.

"You look so cool Eclipse!" Charmy exclaimed, smiling brightly.

"You sure look different. Stronger, I think, and more personal." Vector agreed. Everyone turned to Espio, who was obviously a little nervous about being put on the spot like that.

"...It suits you." He said after a few moments, a soft blush on his face.

"Hey! Espio's blushing!" Charmy said, laughing, causing Espio's blush to deepen as he glared at the small bee boy.

"Leave him alone Charmy. He's probably not used to having a girl around here." Eclipse pointed out.

"We're had female clients, but never had a female living here." Vector agreed.

"Alright, alright. I'll leave him alone." Charmy said in defeat.

"Good." Eclipse said, smiling sweetly. Her smile caused Espio's blush to deepen, though no one seemed to notice this time.

"Oh yeah, if you need some money for food then here." Eclipse said, throwing Vector a small pouch filled with rings which he barely managed to catch. "As thanks for letting me stay here and hiding me from the others." She explained when Vector gave her a confused look.

"I'll go get something for tonight, then we'll buy groceries." Vector said, everyone nodding in agreement.

"Um...you DO know how to cook, right Eclipse?" Charmy asked.

"Yes, quiet well actually. Why?" Eclipse asked.

"Because no one here can cook." Espio answered, everyone turning to him as they hadn't expected him to answer when they didn't force him to.

"Then I'll just have to cook for you all. It won't be any trouble at all." Eclipse said before Vector could disagree.

"...Alright then, I guess that's that. I'll be back in an hour or so." Vector said, leaving.

"...We won't be able...to keep calling you...by your real name. If we do then...Sonic and the others...will figure out who...you are even if...you look totally different." Charmy pointed out as he ate his kiddie cheeseburger that Vector had bought him, taking a bite between every four words.

"He's right." Espio said simply, also eating a cheeseburger. Eclipse closed her eyes, looking through all of her visions and memories for a nickname.

"...How about...Clipz?" She asked after a few moments, not wanting to have anything too different from her real name.

"No, that won't work. Too close to your real name." Vector said, the others nodding in agreement.

"Clowy?" Eclipse then suggested after everyone had finished eating (pronounced similar to Zoey but with a C and L instead of a Z).

"Clowy? Where did you get that from?" Charmy asked her.

"The first two letters of my nickname and the last two letters of Shadow's name with a Y at the end to make it sound like a girl's name." Eclipse said, rubbing the back of her neck in embarrassment, a light blush appearing on her face. _I'm not the same anymore. I don't have Shadow's personality anymore...I've acted like this so long it's become my real personality. _Eclipse thought absently.

"Clowy...it sounds fine to me. What do you guys think?" Charmy asked.

"It won't be recognised as Eclipse, that's for sure." Vector agreed.

"...It's nice." Espio said after a moment.

"Clowy it is then." 'Clowy' said, smiling happily (I will be calling Eclipse Clowy from now on until she goes back to the Sonic Heroes and she'll also be Clowy whenever she's around the Chaotix). "Anyway, it's getting late. So I'm going to go to sleep. See you guys in the morning." Clowy said, yawning, before walking up the stairs to her room.

* * *

><p>Hope you liked the chapter, review and vote.<p> 


	9. The True Me

For those who are wondering, I completely cut out the original chapter 9 and the beginning of this chapter which had been a continuation of that chapter. So here is the new chapter 9, the editted chapter 10 of the original!

* * *

><p>"I'm back!" Clowy called as she walked into the Chaotix Headquarters, having appeared on their front lawn after taking a seemingly aimless walk around Ring City.<p>

"Clowy! Are you alright?" Charmy and Vector asked as they ran up to her, surprising her a bit.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said, smiling assuringly at the two. "I'm going to bed, I'm tired." She said, walking to the base of the stairs before remembering the wallet. "Oh yeah, I got more money. Spend it on whatever you want." She said, throwing the pouch over her head and into Vector's hands before walking up the stairs.

Clowy walked into her room, planning on just flopping down on it, only to see a familiar purple figure lying on it.

"Espio." She whispered in surprise, walking slowly up to the bed.

"He was worried you wouldn't come back. He's been lying here since you left, he must have fallen asleep." Vector explained, appearing out of seemingly no where, now standing in the doorway.

"Oh...I see...I didn't mean to worry you guys." Clowy said, gently picking up Espio, who was very light compared to her armour, and carrying him to his own room. "Night Espio." She whispered, kissing him on the forehead and tucking him in like a little kid before going to her own room and falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

A few weeks later.  
>"Looks like Sonic and the others need our help. Seems Shadow has disappeared along with you Clowy." Vector explained as the group walked towards Tails' house, Clowy's ear drooping.<p>

"I hope he's ok." She said, the others nodding slightly in agreement.

"I just hope they don't recognise you. Knuckles will get mad at us if he finds out that we're hiding you from him and the others." Charmy stated, everyone shuddering slightly at the thought of the echidna being angered with them.

"Then let's hope that my new look is enough to throw them off." Clowy said, smiling.

"Anyone else think that the girl with Vector and the others looks familiar somehow?" Knuckles asked as the Chaotix left, the Sonic Heroes nodding in agreement.

"Tis because it is-" A sudden silence came suddenly, due to Andrea's dangerous glare at her knight.

"Alexiss." Andrea warned.

"I apologise, your 'Ighness." Alexiss said, kneeling as she always did when she did something wrong.

"That is a secret that we must keep, until she so decides to speak. We may have noticed, but it is not to be mentioned without her consent." Andrea whispered into the fox-girl's ear, the girl nodding.

"As you wish, Princess Andrea." Ana said, said person helping Ana back up.

"It's weird...that girl looks really familiar but I can't put my finger on it..." Sonic said, the others nodding in agreement.

"We must be going...important things to do you see. We'll inform you if we find anything out about either Eclipse or Shadow." Andrea assured, walking out of the house with Alexiss close behind.

"Clowy? You acting...like everything is fine even though Shadow is missing. Are you alright?" Charmy pointed out suddenly as Eclipse was making dinner, causing her to stop what she was doing.

"I...I'm fine Charmy, but...there is something that I need to show you and the others after dinner." Clowy said, knowing that it was time to reveal her true identity to the Chaotix.

"What do you want to show us Clowy?" Espio asked, wanting to know anything that she was going to tell them, though he wouldn't admit it out loud.

"I...I've been keeping a very important secret from you, and the others two. It's sorta...the reason that I'm hiding from the Sonic Heroes." Clowy explained, looking at the ground.

"What have you been keeping from us Clowy?" Charmy asked in that cute kid way of his. The black and red female hedgehog pulled the green Chaos Emerald out of her purse, throwing it into the air before anyone could ask her anything.

"Chaos Armour!" She called, a beam of light from the emerald shooting at her and her body flashing, momentarily blinding the Chaotix. They opened their eyes, Charmy being the first one to be able to see what was in front of him.

"It's Shadow!" He yelled, Espio and Vector looking through the light to see that Shadow was indeed in Clowy's place.

"What happened to Clowy?" Vector and Espio both yelled.

"I AM Clowy." Shadow said simply, everyone gaping as they stared at him in disbelief. "Armour down." He said, a beam of light shooting at him from the still floating green emerald, soon revealing Clowy under the armour.

"So this whole time...you were Shadow?" Vector asked suddenly, being the first one able to speak.

"Yes, that's right. I was supposed to be the ultimate life form, and they didn't think that the ultimate life form could be a girl, so I took on the form of the one now called Shadow." Clowy explained, sighing sadly. "Rouge and Alexiss found out...the later told Andrea. I...I got scared and ran away here." She admitted, looking at the ground, expecting the Chaotix to be mad at her.

"That's understandable. I'm sure Rouge was hurt from you keeping this a secret from her." Vector said, much her Clowy's surprise.

"You can still stay here as long as you want. Even after if you want, as Eclipse. After all, you won't be able to live at Shadow's house without drawing attention to yourself." He said, the rest of the Chaotix nodding in agreement.

"Thanks...everyone." Clowy said, smiling. She looked at the window, seeing Tails and Knuckles looking through the window with looks of disbelief on their face, Clowy fainting at the sight of them.

* * *

><p>Poor Clowy...I don't think that's what she was hoping would happen. Hope you all like! Don't forget to Review and Vote!<p> 


	10. Had to Lie

"Ow...my head..." Clowy murmured as her eyes opened, the back of her head having smashed against the floor when she fainted, rubbing said hurt area which she absently noted was bandaged.

"What happened?" She asked no one in particular, as she was in her room, the room empty besides her.

"You saw Tails and Knuckles looking at you through the window and you fainted." Vector explained as he walked into the room, Espio and Charmy close behind.

"That's right, they saw me transform." Clowy remembered, sitting up slowly with Espio's help. Almost instantly she felt a vision coming on.

**I found myself in what looked like an abandoned warehouse, broken wood and glass surrounding me. It was night, the light of the moon coming in through the windows, Sonic and Espio standing a few feet in front of me and facing each other, both in fighting stances. Alexiss and Andrea were also there, Alexiss on my right and Andrea on my left, old crates surrounding us...it was odd, not having Alexiss standing at Andrea's side as she always seemed to do. **

**"Stop it you two! There's no need to fight!" I yelled, sounding panicked as the two glared daggers at each other. **

**"Stay out of this Eclipse!" The two yelled at me in unison, not even bothering to look at me. **

**"You think that just because you met her first that she's instantly yours? That's not the way it works!" Espio yelled at Sonic, confusing me. **

**"If it wasn't for me you wouldn't know her at all!" Sonic yelled back, obviously forgetting that I was there at all. **

**"Fine then, Espio. We'll fight for her. You win and you get her, I win and I'll get her." Sonic suggested suddenly, Espio nodding in agreement, Sonic smirking confidently. **

**"I believe the choice is hers alone, is it not?" Andrea asked angrily. **

**"No!" Sonic and Espio yelled, glaring at the two girls and completely ignoring me before turning back to look at each other. **

**"Time to see who deserves her!" Sonic and Espio yelled, lunging at each other. **

_Who were Espio and Sonic fighting over? Better yet, why was Espio acting like that? _Clowy wondered, shaking her head slightly to push the vision back.

"You ok Clowy?" Charmy asked worriedly.

"Yeah, just a vision of the future. I get them when I touch someone or when they touch me. The only thing that stops me from having a vision is my armour." Clowy explained simply, stretching. Clowy looked up, seeing that the Chaotix were staring at her like she was insane. "What?" She asked in confusion.

"How can you say that like its normal? Having visions of the future is NOT normal!" Vector yelled, hurting Clowy's ears.

"That's enough Vector. It's normal to her." Espio said, saving Clowy an explanation.

"I've had them since I can remember so, as Espio said, it's normal to me." Clowy agreed, shaking her head slightly to get the vision out of her head as she stood up.

"Well, looks like it's time to go see Tails and Knuckles." She said, the Chaotix nodding as they followed after her into the room that they'd put Tails.

"Hello Tails." Clowy said as she entered the room, seeing that the young fox was awake. Tails looked at her, his look of shock, confusion and oddly enough horror.

"Wh-who are you?" He yelled, backing up against the backboard of the bed.

"I'm Eclipse the Hedgehog." Clowy answered simply, looking a little confused herself.

"How come you can change into Shadow?" Tails asked next, still sounding panicked. "Because I AM Shadow the Hedgehog as well. I have armour, Chaos Armour, which I sometimes use to protect myself. It makes me look like a male because the Ultimate Life Form wouldn't have been excepted if it wasn't male." Clowy replied, smiling kindly at Tails, calming him quite a lot actually.

"How come we didn't find out about this sooner?" Tails asked curiously.

"Because I used to only let it down from midnight till dawn on the night of a full moon. If I put it up longer then my true body begins to deteriorate. I didn't have it up when I was asleep for 50 years, but it came up as soon as the capsule was activated." She explained, Tails nodding in understanding. "Please don't tell Knuckles, Amy, Omega or Sonic about this, I don't think they'd understand." Clowy said, Tails nodding in agreement.

"But what are you going to tell Knuckles? He saw you put your armour up and down." Tails pointed out.

"I'll just tell him it was a dream." She said simply, turning to leave.

"And please don't tell anyone that I'm Eclipse. I'd like to hide here a little longer." She added before walking out of the room.

"Geez, I can't believe I had such a weird dream." Knuckles said, he and Tails standing outside the Chaotix Detective Agency.

"You and me both." Tails said, looking at Clowy as she smiled.

"We'll see if we can set up a day were we can all go hang out, but we're still quite busy right now." Clowy said, the other Chaotix nodding in agreement.

"Alright, we'll tell Sonic and Amy that." Tails said, Knuckles nodding in agreement.

"Alright, we'll see you later." Charmy said, waving as Tails and Knuckles left.

"...That was close. I almost messed up the future." Clowy whispered to herself after a moment, sighing in relief.

"Well, I've had a long day. I think I'll go back to bed. I hope you guys don't mind having take-out tonight." Clowy said, the others shaking their head.

"It's fine Clowy. You just go get your rest." Vector said, Clowy smiling at him.

"Ok. Thanks guys." She said, walking up the stairs and changing into her nightwear before falling asleep as her head hit the pillow.

A few weeks later.  
>"Clowy? Are you alright, you seem down today." Vector said, Clowy turning to him before smiling slightly.<p>

"I'm not sad, just...nervous. I have a version at Andrea and Alexiss' house when I was there last...today is the day I'm supposed to tell Rouge, Alexiss and Andrea who I really am..." Clowy explained, trembling slightly. "But I...Ana pulled away before I could see how everyone reacted..." She continued quietly.

"Don't worry Clowy. I'm sure Andrea and Alexiss will understand, even if Rouge doesn't they'll help calm her down." Vector assured her, smiling to help calm her nerves.

"Yeah...well, I have to get going. Rouge is probably at Andrea and Alexiss' for lunch by now, I have to get there before she leaves." Eclipse said, Chaos Controlling away.


	11. Time to Tell and Espio's Harm

Much of the beginning of this chapter has been taken out or editted...I hope you like it.

* * *

><p>The door to the tower opened almost before Clowy could knock, shocking the black and red hedgehog slightly while Alexiss stood at the other side of the now open door. <em>...<em>

"Princess Andrea... Did ya invite Miss Clowy over for lunch as well?" Alexiss asked as she walked into the dining room, Clowy following close behind.

"No...but I suppose she may as well join us, now that she is here." Andrea responded, wondering why Clowy had seemingly randomly appeared at her tower.

"Miss Rouge, tis Miss Clowy the 'Edgehog, the newest member of the Chaotix Detective Agency. Miss Clowy, tis Miss Rouge the Bat, a master treasure 'untress and GUN Agent, as well as Mr. Shadow's GUN partner." Alexiss said formally, introducing the two as Rouge hadn't been there when they'd had the meeting at Tails' house, since Rouge was out looking for Eclipse.

"Um...hello..." Clowy said shyly, holding out her hand nervously for Rouge to shake.

"Hey." Rouge said simply, shaking Clowy's hand, causing a vision.

**Vision.**

**I was standing in Andrea's home, the castle in her kingdom if the throne she was sitting on with a blurred male figure sitting in the throne beside her was any indication, Alexiss at Andrea's side while another blurred male was at the first male's side.**

"**What a pleasant surprise to see you Eclipse. And you brought - - - - -, Rouge and K - - - - - - - as well...how thoughtful of you." Andrea said from atop her throne, smiling down at me. **

"**We all wanted to see you, Princess Andrea...so I thought bringing them as well, might make this reunion a little more...worthwhile." I explained to the red princess.**

"**I see. We must have a feast to celebrate your arrival...Alexiss, A - - - - - -...please inform the kitchen of this event." Came the male voice from beside Andrea, whom was smiling at him.**

"**Of course, Prince M - - - - - -...shall I inform them that Miss Rouge is eating for two?" Alexiss asked, a knowing gleam in her eyes while her ears flicked slightly, as if to show how she knew. I looked at Rouge, who was blushing deeply, the blurred male beside her probably blushing as well. I found myself chuckling when Rouge nodded slightly, the room soon bursting into laughter at the embarrassment of the master 'treasure huntress'.**

**End of Vision.**

_I wonder who was beside Rouge...oh well, looks like whoever it is the two will be happy together. _Clowy thought, pulling her hand back.

"Why don't ya sit down Miss Clowy? Ya must be tired from walking all the way 'ere." Alexiss said, smiling.

_I take that offensively. _Clowy thought, as she was the Ultimate Life form and therefore didn't become tired easily unless she had her Chaos Armour up and didn't have the restrictor rings on, as it was hard to control her powers properly with the armour without them. "I...uh...actually came to...um...tell you all something that I think it's...er...about time you knew." Clowy said, taking a deep breath before a flash of light came from the Chaos Emerald behind her back and she was back in her original outfit. "Uh...Clowy the Hedgehog is...actually me...Eclipse..." She said before the light disappeared, Rouge looking at her in surprise while Alexiss stood silent beside Andrea, both unsurprised by the news. "I got scared when you found out the truth...so I ran to the Chaotix and became Clowy." Eclipse said, Rouge still looking at her in shock. "Um...Rouge? Are you ok?" Eclipse asked, looking at her GUN partner.

"You...you...you stupid idiot!" Rouge snarled suddenly, standing up and glaring dangerously at Eclipse.

_Isn't that redundant? _Eclipse wondered, quickly pushing the thought aside when she saw how mad Rouge was.

"You made me worry about you for nothing!" Rouge growled, still glaring.

"I'm sorry...I didn't think you'd worry that much..." Eclipse murmured, looking away from Rouge as if she thought she'd be hit.

"Didn't think I'd-...of course I worried Eclipse, you're my friend." Rouge explained, Eclipse smiling slightly at her while Rouge did the same.

"I hate to interrupt this emotional reunion, but that enemy of yours is attacking the city." Andrea stated suddenly, pointing out the window to show Eggman robots attacking downtown Ring City.

" Rouge, I need you to go tell the Chaotix that Eggman is attacking and that I'll hold him off till they get here. Andrea, I request that Alexiss gathers and warn the Sonic Heroes about this. Tell them Eclipse suddenly appeared and started fighting Eggman if you must Alexiss, that'll get their attention." Eclipse ordered, the three girls nodding before Alexiss and Rouge flew out the window, Andrea simply sitting in the chair she'd been in earlier with no clear intention of moving. "Looks like it's up to me for now." Eclipse said, running quickly out of the house and towards where she heard screams coming from.

Eclipse stopped when she saw Eggman above a large robot, similar to the one that had been at his base that Alexiss had destroyed.

"You need to get some new tricks Eggman, or else you'll never beat us." She stated, smirking, as unbeknown to him she already knew how to destroy it thanks to Alexiss.

"You're beginning to get on my nerves girl." Eggman told her angrily, sneering at her.

"First off, my name is Eclipse." The female hedgehog stated, annoyed with him calling her girl. "And second," Eclipse began, jumping up and kicking the robot in the head, causing it to fall and slam into the ground. "I don't really care if I'm getting on your nerves Egg Head." She finished as she landed, smirking at the human. The Ultimate Life Form was surprised to see Eggman smirking back at her.

"Fire!" He yelled. Suddenly thousands of laser beams shot from the robot, all of them pointed strait at Eclipse. She could see them all in slow motion, but her body wouldn't move no matter how much she ordered it to, she couldn't get away.

"Out of the way!" Yelled a familiar voice, a vague memory of a vision filling my mind as she felt something slam into her, moving her out of the way from the lasers before she could stop it once she finally realised what was going on. Eclipse turned in mid-air to see if she was right, only to see Espio standing where she'd had been seconds ago as she thought he'd be.

"Espio!" She screamed as the lasers hit him, hearing a gasp behind her which she absently assumed came from Charmy or Vector.

"Stupid chameleon, getting in the way." Eggman muttered as Espio lay on the ground in a crater made by the lasers, battered badly and not breathing. It took Charmy's wailing at the form of Espio to snap Eclipse from her horrified trance at seeing Espio like that, immediately red Chaos Energy surrounding her.

"You...I'll make you pay for what you've done to Espio." She said, her voice sounding like a demonic version of Shadow's, fangs extending and eyes becoming a blood red from the Chaos Energy around her.

"I believe it's safe to say that...one thing one never does around Miss Eclipse...is attack 'er friends with tek-no-low-gee. It does not end well...for anyone." Alexiss murmured suddenly as she landed a ways behind Eclipse, "The Sonic 'Eroes are on their way Miss Eclipse!...Not that ya seem to care." Alexiss called, adding the last part as a whisper when she noticed that Eclipse was paying her no mind and was simply growling dangerously at Eggman. _She'd better 'urry lest she want Mr. Espio to die. Then again...I wonder if she even realises that 'e's still alive, as impossible as it is with that 'arsh an attack. _Alexiss thought, not daring to go near Espio in fear of Eclipse attacking her. "When Sonic and the others come just tell them that...Mr. Espio mistook Miss Eclipse for Miss Clowy and jumped in the way to save 'er." Alexiss suggested Vector, who nodded, realising that Alexiss was calm while Charmy was wailing. "Mr. Espio is still alive. But I don't think Miss Eclipse realises that." Alexiss whispered to Vector, who nodded in understanding, telling this to Charmy to make him stop wailing in his ear.

"Alexiss? What's going on?" Sonic asked, seemingly appearing out of no where with Tails and Knuckles doing the same.

"The enemy went to attack Miss Eclipse with tek-no-low-gee, but Mr. Espio jumped in the way thinking she was Miss Clowy and got 'it, and now she's...rather upset about it." Alexiss explained, Eclipse suddenly disappearing and reappearing in front of Eggman, the robot falling to pieces as Eclipse just floated in front of the Egg Carrier.

"You'll pay." She said in the same voice as before, before her body suddenly went rigid.

_She used up too much energy. _Alexiss thought, seeing the Restrictor Rings on the ground beside Espio, knowing from what Tails had told her about Shadow/Eclipse. "Someone catch Miss Eclipse, she's about to fall." Alexiss stated calmly, Sonic speeding forward to catch Eclipse without even questioning how Alexiss knew she was about to fall, catching Eclipse just before she hit the ground.

"Leave this please now, enemy of Miss Eclipse, lest you want a repeat of last time." Alexiss said dangerously, snapping her fingers and her weapons appearing in her hands to prove her point. Eggman decided that it was probably time to leave, after all he'd nearly been killed by Eclipse a moment ago. "Oh, and someone bring Mr. Espio to a 'ospital before 'e actually **DOES **die please." Alexiss added, yawning as she snapped her fingers again to get rid of her weapons. Vector wordlessly picked up the purple lizard, as he felt it his responsibility since he'd let Espio go ahead of them, walking towards the nearest hospital with Charmy close behind.

"Well...that was interesting..." Came a voice from behind the group, who all turned to see Andrea hovering perhaps a foot over the ground. "You should probably bring her to our tower Sonic." Andrea said, pointing to the unconscious Eclipse, Alexiss nodding in agreement, starting to walk after Andrea, thinking about things and people mentioned to her by Andrea long ago...

* * *

><p>Hope you all like! Read and review!<p> 


	12. Darius Phai

Finally, the time that all of you have surely been waiting for! It's Alexiss' little brother (originally her creation under the name of David)! Like Alexiss and Andrea, Darius' past has been changed to siut the story. His personailty and inability to speak has not however. Hope you all like, and **READ AND REVIEW!**

* * *

><p>The day seemed quite enough, Alexiss had been given some well-deserved time to herself, and Andrea was alone in the tower. It had taken several minutes to convince the fox-girl that the princess would be fine for a few hours on her own, and when she had finally been convinced of that it took over a half hour to convince her that she didn't have to be within ten feet of the tower.<p>

"Honestly...she's just too...worried about me all the time." Andrea sighed, sitting in the chair she usually did in the dining room. Before leaving Alexiss had insisted upon making Andrea lunch, which she had just finished eating. "I suppose it's to be expected though...I'm all she remembers..." The red princess said slowly, a look of sadness on her face.

**Flashback (same as visions, in first person and all).**

**My eyes were wide with terror as I watched the city I'd grown up in, that I had been raised to rule, burn. Alexiss was beside her, blood littering her once perfectly clear fur. She was looking at the city with a cold, emotionless stare, despite looking at where she had lived for so many years with the only person other than myself that she cared about in the kingdom.**

"**Your 'Ighness...we must leave, before the enemy finds us..." Alexiss said suddenly from beside me, causing me to turn and look at her. I couldn't believe she was so calm, not moments before we'd heard the screams of her little brother as he died at the hands of the things that had attacked my kingdom.**

"**How...how can you be...?" I asked slowly, tears in my eyes.**

"**We must LEAVE Princess Andrea. As long as ya live, this kingdom will rise again...tis all that matters." Alexiss tried to convince me.**

"**Darius is dead, Alexiss, don't you care?" I screamed at my knight.**

"**Don't you DARE say 'is name to me!" Alexiss yelled back defiantly, causing me to take a step back in fright. I'd never seen my knight and life-long friend like that. She took a few deep breaths before regaining her composer. "We must leave, Princess Andrea. Our yelling is sure to attract the match-ins that attacked the city." Alexiss reminded me. I looked back at the burning city one more time before Alexiss and I ran, a part of me fearing I'd never return to the place I'd once loved so dearly.**

**End of Flashback.**

"It was too much for her to take...of course, I knew it would be...there was no way that Alexiss could stay the same with Darius dead..." Andrea said quietly, still looking sadly at her plate, not focusing on it at all. "The fact that she doesn't remember anything anymore...she really couldn't take it..." The girl continued. There was a knock on the door, soft and somewhat weak, Andrea getting up to answer it once she'd remembered that Alexiss was not there to get it. She opened the door, her eyes widening, for before her was a young Mobian boy with a fluffy tail with the white tip of a fox. He was about 9, perhaps 10, having a nice shade of pale purple fur and familiar dark blue eyes. His muzzle and the inside of his fox-like ears were white, chin-length dreadlocks the same pale purple as his fur but with pale yellow streaks, bright red bat wing coming from just below his shoulder blades. He wore a white loose t-shirt trimmed in dark blue and with dark blue sleeves, and old pair of white jeans with dark blue patches sown on that were rolled up to be shorts and revealed that the inside of the jeans were also dark blue, white shoes with a dark blue straps that acted as laces, and white boxing gloves that revealed familiar spikes coming from the young boy's knuckles. His fur and clothing were dirty, burn marks littering his fur. "D...Darius?" Andrea asked slowly. The boy opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came from it, so he simply nodded.

"Princess Andrea, I 'ave..." Came the voice of Alexiss as she walked up the hill to the tower, trailing off at the sight of the pale purple Mobian in front of her princess. Darius turned to look at Alexiss, his eyes widening before he ran to her and hugged her around the waist. "Princess...who is this boy?" The fox-girl asked, the boy backing away from her and looking about ready to cry.

"This is Darius...he's your...little brother, Alexiss..." Andrea stated cautiously. She could not stand for Alexiss not to know who the pale purple boy was, but she also did not want all of the girl's memories to come rushing back, or she'd go into shock and perhaps never recover.

"Dar...ius...?" The knight asked slowly, staring at the boy intently.

"We both thought he'd died...when the kingdom burned...but as we can both see, he is quite alive." Andrea explained, Alexiss nodding slowly. "It would seem, however, that the smoke from the fire damaged his vocal cords...or perhaps the shock of what happened...either way, he is unable to speak." The red princess added.

"Shall I...shall I take 'im inside, your 'Ighness?" Alexiss asked slowly, Andrea nodding.

"Show him the room with the child's bed...that will be his, from now on." She stated, Alexiss nodding and going inside with Darius to show him said room. "Darius is alive...perhaps, this is just what Alexiss needs..." Andrea whispered thoughtfully.

"Who is this?" Tails asked the next day, as Andrea had decided to take Darius out with her and Alexiss, both because he could not be left at home alone and because she wanted him to learn where he would now be living.

"This is another of my subjects...his name is Darius Phai, he is Alexiss' little brother." Andrea told the young fox.

"I didn't know you had a little brother." Tails stated, looking at Alexiss.

"Neither did I, till 'e appeared at the tower yesterday." Alexiss responded, Tails looking confused.

"Memory-lose." Andrea explained to Tails in a whisper, the later nodding slightly in understanding. Alexiss looked down, feeling a tug on her pant leg, seeing Darius.

"What...is it Darius?" She asked slowly, crouching slightly to be about the same size as him out of forgotten habit. Darius pointed to his tail before pointing to Tails with a questioning look on his face. "Tis correct, Tails is a fox. You're part fox as well Darius, as am I." Alexiss said, smiling at him. Knuckles walked into the room, which quickly fell silent as thick tension filled it.

* * *

><p>Somehow I get the impression that this chapter is shorter than it's original...oh well, home you all liked! And don't forget, <strong>READ AND REVIEW!<strong>


	13. Unneeded Violence and Vision of Death

Finally back...I apologize for being gone so long, I had massive writer's block with the new chapter. The next chapters after it might take just as long if not longer. Again, I apologise. Anyway, here's the next few chapters.

* * *

><p>"Who is that?" Knuckles asked, gesturing to Darius.<p>

"'E's my little brother, Mr. Knuckles." Alexiss said immediately, pushing Darius slightly until he was in front of Andrea, her hands in his shoulders.

"And just who gave you permission...to bring another **abomination **into this city?" Knuckles yelled, throwing a punch at Alexiss at the end part of his sentence, Alexiss dodging it with surprising ease.

"I didn't realise that I needed permission." She stated calmly as she flipped to dodge another punch, landing near a wall, her back pressed against it. The fact that the red echidna had insulted both herself and her brother didn't seem to be noticed by the fox-girl.

"Well you did!" Knuckles roared, throwing a punch strait at the fox-girl's face. It happened too fast for anyone in the room to see clearly, all they knew was that one moment Knuckles' fist was about to connect with Alexiss' face, and the next his fist was held tightly in her left hand and she had a look that could scare even E-123 Omega.

"Tis no need for violence." She growled with her ears flattened backwards against her head and her fangs bared as well as her pupils more slitted then usual, Knuckles flinching at the tone in her voice as well as the physical signs of her anger, trying to pull his fist from her hand but she had a surprisingly strong grip and he was unable to.  
>Andrea stared shocked at the seemingly random anger that Alexiss was exhibiting, until she suddenly noticed something shaking in her hands, and looked down to see that Darius was trembling in fear of Knuckles.<p>

_So that's why Alexiss is so angry...because Knuckles scared Darius. Even though she barely knows him again, she's still acting the same as she used to before we thought he was dead... _Andrea realised, squeezing his shoulders lightly to try and help comfort him.

"I believe that ya 'ave an emerald to be protecting, Mr. Knuckles." Alexiss said dangerously and his name in a much deeper tone then the rest, Knuckles nodding as Alexiss let go of his fist, leaving the house in a hurry. There was a thick silence for a moment before Alexiss sighed, her ears going back to normal as she closed her eyes, before opening them to reveal her normal pupils and walking over to Darius, who was still trembling even with Andrea trying to comfort him. "It's ok Darius, Sissy's fine." Alexiss told him, Darius wiggling from Andrea's grip and running to hug his sister in obvious relief that he hadn't lost her to the scary red Mobian. "Everything is ok Darius, Sissy's not 'urt." Alexiss lied, blood dripping from the hand that had stopped Knuckle's fist as the other arm was wrapped around Darius in a comforting hug. Andrea knew that Alexiss didn't want Darius to worry about her, and this was the reason that she was hugging him and ignoring the wound in her hand, so Andrea said nothing about the blood dripping from Alexiss' hand. "'Ow about ya go look around, see if there is anything that interests ya...just don't touch any tek-no-low-gee, alright?" Alexiss asked as she pulled away and hiding her hand behind her back so he wouldn't see it and worry, Darius nodding and slowly leaving to check out the rest of the house.

"Are you alright Alexiss?" Andrea asked suddenly once she was sure Darius was out of earshot, Tails still looking at where Knuckles had ran out the door in shock of what his friend did.

"Mostly, Princess Andrea...except the twin 'oles in my 'and from Mr. Knuckles spikes and the fact that I 'ave to mend my glove now...don't even feel the pain." Alexiss admitted, taking off the glove covering her left hand to reveal that the spikes had almost gone strait through her hand. "That's probably not good..." Alexiss muttered, trying to move her fingers only to find that she couldn't, not realising that she couldn't earlier because she'd been more focused on hiding the hand.

"Alexiss...those wounds are...your hand will never heal..." Andrea stated slowly, looking horrified that Alexiss had been hurt.

"I know, your 'Ighness..." Alexiss stated slowly, looking sadly at her hand.

"I know you two don't like technology, but...I think I can make her a new hand...an artificial one..." Tails told the two girls, who looked at one another.

"Art-a-fish-ale?" Alexiss asked in confusion.

"Artificial...it means fake." Tails explained, Alexiss looking at Andrea.

"...Fine. I can not have my knight incapable of protecting me." Andrea stated, Tails nodding before taking measurements of Alexiss' hand and going to his workshop.

"What's going on?" Came a familiar female voice suddenly, drawing the two girl's attention to see Eclipse in the doorway between the room and the hall to the guest rooms and being held up by Sonic, Darius beside them looking slightly worried while Alexiss hid her hand again.

"Mr. Knuckles just...lost 'is temper, due to Darius being 'ere...the little boy beside ya." Alexiss explained. After placing Eclipse down on the couch, Sonic sitting beside her, the group began to talk about anything that came to mind.

"I need to take Alexiss to my workshop, to put on the hand." Said Tails a few hours later, Alexiss looking at Andrea, who nodded. She got up and followed the young yellow fox, Darius getting up to follow her, only to be stopped by Andrea.

"No Darius...she'll be back soon." Andrea assured him, Darius looking at her before nodding slowly and sitting on the couch again, where he had been sitting before his sister was called by Alexiss.

"Tis rather...odd...there's no feeling, yet I can pick things up and 'old things..." Alexiss' voice came several minutes later, everyone turning to look at her and seeing a flash of silver. Upon closer inspection it was revealed that the silver was Alexiss' new metal hand, her glove already mended and no real indication of what had happened except that hand.

"You'll get used to it." Said Tails as he also entered the room, no one who was old enough to understand wanting to know what he'd done to the fox-girl's original hand. Darius jumped up from the couch and ran to her, hugging Alexiss like he thought he'd never see her again.

"Tis getting late, ya really should 'ave been in bed 'ours ago..." Alexiss said to the little boy, the sun having long-since fallen.

"You are correct Alexiss...I believe it's about time we returned home." Andrea said, Alexiss and Darius nodding. "We shall return to check up on you tomorrow Eclipse." The red princess added before she, her knight and the little brother of the knight left for their tower.

A week or so later.  
>"Tails says you can return home now, Eclipse..." Andrea stated to the black and red hedgehog, who nodded as she looked over at Alexiss and Darius, who were playing in front of Tails' house.<p>

"Yes, I can...thank you, for allowing Alexiss to come...I may have been hurt worse, if she hadn't." The black and red hedgehog said, Andrea smiling slightly.

"It wasn't a problem." The princess responded, holding out her hand before shaking Eclipse's hand, the later feeling a vision coming on once more.

**Vision.**

**I found myself in a room that I'd never seen before, and the first thing that I noticed was the feeling of cold, harsh loneliness that ran through my body. Everyone was wearing black versions of their usual outfits and I suddenly realised that I was in a funeral home. I was inwardly glad when I began to look around the room, at that time probably to see the reactions of my friends, but at this time I was trying to see who was missing from my group of friends. Many people were either looking at the coffin in sadness or crying, but the people who seemed to catch my attention were the young princess and her group, but one was missing. Darius was crying as quietly as he could manage, Andrea holding onto him and trying to comfort him, though it was obvious that she was struggling not to cry herself. Beside her were three blurry male Mobians, all of those blurs I recognised from other visions.**

**"Why...why did she...have to give her life for ours?" I heard Andrea whisper as tears filled her eyes, which were now clenched shut. The truth of who was dead hit my like one of Sonic's kicks, though I quickly pushed the thought aside in a desperate attempt to tell myself that the one I knew was in the coffin was simply too important to die. I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder, and turned to see that it was Espio who was trying to comfort me, Vector and Charmy behind him. I couldn't tell if I was Clowy or Eclipse at the time, so I didn't know if he was trying to comfort me because someone else couldn't or because I wouldn't let someone else do so. **

**"Do you...do you want to see her?" Espio asked me, his voice sounding a little choked, and I slowly nodded. We slowly walked towards the coffin with a blue-purple Snap Dragon flower in my hand and Espio's hand still on my shoulder, and I absently noticed the date was exactly a month from the current date, before I stopped a few feet from the coffin with my body trembling. "It's ok...you don't have to do this if you don't want to." Espio told me as I quickly shook my head, knowing that if I didn't see the person in the coffin that I'd never come to terms that they were actually dead. I finally made it to the coffin after what felt like an eternity, looking down at the face of one of the people who had come to make my life a little happier. **

**"Alexiss..." I whispered as I placed the flower in her hands, turning to Espio and finally breaking down after I'd done so. **

**End of Vision.**

Eclipse pulled away from Andrea in panic, her eyes wide at the event that had been revealed to her.

"Eclipse? Are you alright?" Andrea asked, Eclipse absently wondering how Andrea would react if she found out that she'd just seen Alexiss' funeral.

"Y-yes, it's just...a sudden power shortage is all." Eclipse replied, smiling slightly as if to assure the red princess that she was indeed alright.

"Do you want to stay here a little longer? I'm sure Tails would not mind, if you did." Andrea asked, Eclipse shaking her head.

"No, I've got to get going. There's no way Vector and Charmy will be able to help Espio heal without my help." Eclipse pointed out, Andrea nodding slowly in agreement, before Eclipse quickly Chaos Controlled away.


	14. New Arrivals in Ring City

Clowy lay on her bed tiredly, her hand lying over her eyes with her palm facing the light bulb that caused light to fill the dark room. She had returned to the Chaotix a few days ago, and had yet to leave her room since going in it shortly after entering the house, the vision of Alexiss' funeral playing over and over in the hedgehog's mind and causing quite the headache. She hadn't told the Chaotix about the vision, though they all seemed to have figured out that a vision had caused her to be like this, not wanting them to be bothered by it like she was. She hated the vision she saw, wishing it had been when Alexiss had died rather then her funeral, because then at least she'd know how Alexiss died and how to stop her from dying.

"How can I save her...if I don't even know what's supposed to happen?" She whispered, Vector looking at her sadly through the slightly open door, as it was clear to him that she was in emotional and mental pain from something.

"Alexiss? Is something wrong?" Andrea asked her faithful knight, both of them and Darius all sitting at the dining room table and eating breakfast, but Alexiss did not appear hungry.

"No, your 'Ighness, just...an odd feeling." Alexiss muttered, sighing and getting up from the table. "May I take a walk around the tower, Princess Andrea?" Alexiss asked, Andrea nodding in hopes that it would help her knight feel better. "Thank ya." The fox-girl said simply, bowing slightly and walking into the depths of the tower.

Half a week later.  
>"Are you sure that...that they're here, Alaster?" Asked a male voice, drawing the attention of those around him. The one who had spoken was an 18 or so year old orange Hedgehog with an orange Devil tail instead of a hedgehog one and sharp crimson eyes. His quills were down in a way that resembled dreadlocks, held there by a black bandana, and his muzzle was a tan color. He wore an open bright yellow jacket that reached his waist and had sleeves that went to his wrists, as well as a folded down collar, trimmed in black with three black buckles attaching the two open sides of the jacket, revealing his furry orange chest and stomach. His pants were also bright yellow, his favourite color it seemed, with two black rings near the top of the legs and the inner side black until his knees. His shoes were of a similar design, almost pure bright yellow but the bottoms were black, his fingerless gloves bright yellow with black rectangles on the back of them. <p>

"If he wasn't sure then he wouldn't have dragged us half way across Mobius, Prince Maxwell." Said a second male voice mockingly, the hedgehog glaring at him. The one being glared at was a 14 or so year old black wolf with startling orange sharp eyes and a white muzzle with four pieces of fur coming off each side along with white inner ears and pure black tail. He wore a crimson red vest with rectangles of bright yellow at the outer bottom sides and outer top sides, crimson red pants like the other Mobian's, only with no rings and the rectangles bright yellow. His gloves were fingerless bright yellow with crimson red backs and her shoes were crimson red with twin bright yellow stripes on each and the bottoms also bright yellow.

"I've told you before, call me Max! And do not call me Prince either!" The first Mobian, Max, snarled angrily.

"Claw, Max. Quit fighting please, it's making it hard to concentrate on the addresses of the houses with you snarling in my ear." A third, also male, voice broke in before the second could say anything. The last one was about 17, clearly a crimson lizard with no horn except for the spikes on his knuckles and his short zigzag tail, sharp eyes an alluring green and muzzle a soft peach. He wore a white t-shirt, trimmed in orange and with orange sleeves, and orange shorts trimmed in white. His shoes were orange with the front half white, three black straps on each keeping them shut and the bottoms also black. Clutched in his white boxing glove covered hand was a silver cross on a silver chain.

"Whatever." Max muttered, looking away from the one called Claw with a huff.

"I wonder how your friend got all the way to Ring City, Alaster." Claw said, obviously talking to the Chamchidna boy.

"It's been months since I last saw her...before Dustan Kingdom was burnt to the ground...before she and her princess were forced to flee the only place they'd ever known...a lot can happen in that time." The boy, Alaster, said absently. "There!" He said suddenly, pointing to a tower atop a large hill. (I'm sure you all know who he's looking for at this point.)

"Alexiss? Is something wrong?" Andrea asked, looking at Alexiss, who was sitting across from her at the dinner table with her hand against her forehead, eyes closed and looking in pain.

"F-fine Princess Andrea. Just a small headache is all." Alexiss said assuringly, smiling slightly at her best friend and Darius, who also looked worried about her. The sound of knocking on the door distracted them from the fox-girl's pain, said girl getting up to answer the door. Upon opening the door she saw three boys; an orange Hedgehog-Devil Hybrid, a black Wolf, and a crimson Lizard-Echidna hybrid.

"Alexiss!" The Lizard-Echidna said happily, smiling at Alexiss like he was seeing a long lost lover.


	15. Andrea's Friends from the Past

"Alexiss!" The Lizard-Hybrid said happily, smiling at Alexiss. "Where is Princess Andrea? Is she in the tower?" The boy continued, Alexiss looked at him in confusion, wondering how he knew herself and her princess. "Oh, Max is here as well, I'm sure Princess Andrea will be happy to see him. And this is a friend of ours, Claw Grey." The boy stated, pointing to the wolf when he said the name Claw Grey, still smiling.

"It is...good to see you again Alexiss...I hope you are well." The Devil-Hedgehog boy, Max, said quickly. Alexiss continued to look at the boys in confusion, trying to remember if she'd ever met any of them.

"...Have you forgotten Alexiss? It's me...Alaster Ataro." The Lizard-Echidna boy said, sounding so hopeful that she'd remember him, the sound of his name only serving to cause her a headache.

"Princess Andrea...we appear to 'ave visitors..." She said in a confused tone, her voice echoing through the tower behind her.

"Visitors? Who would want to...Alaster? Maxwell?" Asked Andrea from behind Alexiss, who moved out of the way to give her princess the chance to see the Mobians.

"Princess Andrea! I am so glad to see you in good health." Alaster stated, kneeling to the red princess.

"And I you Alaster...I was worried that you had come to the kingdom when it burned and had been killed...it is indeed good to see you well." Andrea told him, the boy smiling up at her slightly.

"Andrea..." Max said slowly, Andrea looking up at him. Her eyes widened, as if not believing her eyes.

"Maxwell...it really...is you..." Andrea said in the same slow way the orange Mobian had done, said Mobian nodding. All composer lost, she ran to him and hugged him as Darius had done to Alexiss when he'd finally found her, Max's arms holding Andrea close to him. Alexiss simply watched the two, more confused than ever, before Darius peeked out from behind the door. When he saw Alaster however, he ran to him as he had his sister, Alaster crouching down and hugging him.

"Darius, you're alright!" The crimson Mobian said happily, Darius nodding feverishly. Alexiss found it odd that she did not feel the urge to rip her brother from the arms of the teenaged boy holding him, her headache worsening the more she thought of it.

"Princess Andrea...who are these two?" Alexiss finally asked, Alaster looking surprisingly hurt when this question was asked.

"Oh, right...Maxwell, Alaster, come inside...I have quite a bit to explain." Andrea stated, pulling reluctantly from Max's embrace and walking towards the tower, everyone following after her, including Claw.

"I apologise, but this is a matter only for us. Please wait outside for your travelling companions." Andrea told Claw, who looked unhappy, but still did as told.

"So...what's with Alexiss? And Darius?" Alaster asked Andrea.

"Darius seems to have lost his voice...I am not sure if this is due to inhaling too much smoke, or from the trauma of the kingdom burning. As for Alexiss, well..." Andrea looked at her knight sadly. "Alexiss, fetch our guests some food." Andrea ordered suddenly.

"Of course you're 'Ighness." Alexiss said simply, bowing slightly and leaving to get food.

"Now that Alexiss is no longer here...you see, Alexiss and I both thought that Darius had been killed in the burning of my kingdom. As the only member of Alexiss' family that she was close to, she wasn't able to take the thought of her brother being dead, and she...she repressed her memories. When he appeared out of the blue one day I had hoped that Alexiss would regain her memories soon, but...I am afraid they are still just as lost to her as ever. The only hope now is that your presence will help her memories return Alaster." Andrea explained to the lizard.

"Alexiss...really remembers nothing at all..." Alaster realised sadly.

"I am afraid not. She only knows what I have told her." Andrea agreed.

"Did you tell her about..." Alaster trailed off as Andrea shook her head.

"I was unsure if you had been in the kingdom and also if you had died...I saw no point in telling Alexiss of a dead man." Andrea informed him.

"Of course...understandable Princess Andrea." Alaster stated, though he sounded sad.

"'Ere is the food Princess Andrea." Alexiss said once she entered the room. She had two trays of food, one in each hand. She placed them on the table in front of Alaster and Max. "I also gave food to their traveling companion Princess." Alexiss added, Andrea nodding absently.

"Very good Alexiss." She said simply.

"Our companion Claw Grey is searching for someone, but...may we stay here, Andrea, as we have nowhere else to go?" Max asked suddenly, Andrea looking at him in slight surprise.

"Oh...yes, that is not a problem. Alexiss, how many rooms do we have left?" Andrea asked her knight.

"Two free rooms Princess Andrea." Alexiss stated immediately.

"...Alaster and Claw shall take the two free rooms. You, Maxwell, may stay in mine." Andrea told the two.

"Of course Princess Andrea." Alaster said simply.

_Why would Princess Andrea let someone like 'im in 'er room? _Alexiss wondered, unable to understand.

"Alexiss, I believe it is time for a proper introduction. This is Prince Maxwell Devilhog of the Compound Kingdom, and this is his most trusted personal knight, Alaster Ataro." Andrea explained to her knight. Alexiss' eyes widened considerably upon finding out that the hybrid was actually a prince like Andrea. "Maxwell and Alaster constantly came to visit my kingdom, and because of your places as personal knights you and Alaster became very close. Darius even referred to Alaster as his brother on multiple occasions." Andrea added. Flashes of memories zipped through Alexiss' head, causing the headache she'd had earlier to return ten-fold.

"...I shall begin preparing the rooms you're 'Ighness." Alexiss said, leaving the room quickly.

"She just needs some time to come to terms with what she has found out." Andrea assured Alaster.


	16. Tied Visions

Hey look, we're **FINALLY** back to Clowy and the Chaotix! Yay! Also, sorry for the really long hiatus (?) I've had some messed up stuff in my life and severe writer's block. This chapter has actually been done for a few months now, I just didn't have the time to post it. Sorry it's short, and I'll try to put up the next chapter soon.

* * *

><p>"Clowy...if you keep being this upset all the time Espio will start worrying about you." Charmy said sadly, the female hedgehog having the same look that she got when she got a vision. Her eyes focused rather suddenly and she sat up abruptly, startling the young bee.<p>

"I'm sorry Charmy, I didn't mean to worry you or the others." Clowy apologised with a sad smile, pulling the surprised boy into a hug. "I really am sorry Charmy...so sorry..." The black and red hedgehog repeated over and over.

"Clowy?" The voice was a little weak and hoarse from disuse, worry soft but still noticeable. The girl's eyes snapped open, seeing Espio. He stood in her doorway, putting most of his weight on one of his feet due to refusing to use crutches.

"Espio? Are you sure you should be getting up yet?" Clowy asked in worry, purposely trying to change the subject from her to him.

"Yes, I'm sure. Are you alright?" Espio insisted, Charmy now sitting on Clowy's bed beside her.

"I'm fine just...a vision keeps bothering me is all...I had hoped that-" Clowy was cut off suddenly by the delayed vision from Charmy.

**I found myself in the funeral home again, it was clear that this was to be before the previous vision as we were all sitting and listening to what appeared to be a dove minister. Charmy was sitting on my lap, Espio and Vector on either side of me. **

"**Clowy?" Charmy asked softly, causing me to look down at the small bee boy, who in turn was looking up at me.**

"**Yes?" I asked just as softly, not wanting to draw attention to us. I didn't think it was a good idea to bring children to a funeral, but it wasn't my choice.**

"**Are you alright?" The question was simple, but the pull at my heart signalled to me that the answer wasn't nearly as simple.**

"**I'm...I'll be fine Charmy." I said softly, holding him closer to me. I knew I wasn't lying to him, but what I hadn't said was that it would take a while before I was fine again.**

"Clowy?" The first thing Clowy heard upon returning from her vision was Charmy asking her name in a bit of worry, and Clowy realised that it was because a tear had fallen from her eye and was travelling down her cheek.

"I'm fine Charmy." Clowy assured him with a smile, wiping off the tear. He didn't look convinced but smiled back anyway.

"What was your vision about?" Espio asked, knowing that it was very hard to get Clowy that upset.

"It was tied to the vision that has been bugging me, no big deal." Clowy stated, shrugging as her sign that she didn't want to talk about it.

"Clowy! You have a visitor!" Vector called from downstairs, bringing the attention of the three young detectives.

"A visitor? That's unusual..." Espio pointed out cautiously.

"Coming Vector!" Clowy called down before walking down the stairs, her two friends close behind. "Rouge?" Clowy asked when she saw the white thief.

"Omega found a place that looks like it was attacked by Eggman a long while back, he wants us to come check it out with him." Rouge explained to the black and red hedgehog.

"Oh, um..." Clowy looked at the Chaotix, not sure if she should leave or not.

"Don't worry about us Clowy, if you want to go than you should go." Vector smiled, Clowy smiling back and leaving with the white bat.

"...Why did you tell her to go?" Espio asked Vector.

"She's been really upset lately. Hopefully this will make her happier." Vector explained. Espio nodded with a small grunt, and though Charmy was sad not having Clowy around, he too nodded and agreed with the two older males.

"Are we almost there?" Eclipse asked Rouge after they had teleported a very long ways and had been walking through a forest for the past hour, her outfit her old one again.

"He should be close by." Rouge assured Eclipse, knowing that the girl had low patience.

"Must eradicate all Eggman robots!" Eclipse heard a voice yell suddenly. Omega appeared in front of them, suddenly shooting at the two.

"Not again!" She yelled, dodging his attacks.

"Omega, stop! It's Shadow!" Rouge yelled, trying to stop him.

"How come you do that EVERY time you see me?" Eclipse yelled angrily, pointing to the bullets in the tree behind her. "I'm NOT an Eggman robot, and I'd appreciate it if you stopped shooting at me every time you see me!" She added just as angrily.

"Identity confirmed. Mobian, Shadow the Hedgehog. Secretly Eclipse the Hedgehog." Omega said.

"Yes, that's right. I'm secretly a girl. NOW STOP SHOOTING AT ME EVERY TIME YOU SEE ME!" She screamed at him. Omega simple nodded, while Rouge was rubbing her ears.

"Geez Clipsy, you don't have to be so loud." she told Eclipse.

"Sorry." The hedgehog apologized half-heartedly.

"Let's just get going, I'm sure the Chaotix will be worried if we're away for too long."

* * *

><p>And that's it. Another vision fulfilled, hope you liked. See you soon (hopefully).<p> 


	17. While Clowy's Away

You people had better love me! I worked non-stop for 24 hours to write this for you guys as an apology for being gone so long! As the title suggests, this chapter revolves around everyone else's thoughts and feelings towards Clowy/Eclipse. The reason for this is that the only place I could think of for Team Dark to go was Andrea's Kingdom and I don't want to keep with them, since they were originally just made to help add to Eclipse' character. So I'll be laying off of them for a while at least, except the things that need to be done. ANYWAY, here's the chapter, enjoy!

* * *

><p>Tails pulled the welding mask that had been on top of his head over his face and turned on the blowtorch he was holding, welding together the pieces of metal onto the gun-like object on the work table in front of him. After he was certain it had been welded properly he turned off the dangerous tool and pulled the mask back onto his head. He looked at the object critically, one wrong component and who knew what the thing might do.<p>

"Done!" The young fox said happily, smiling widely and pointing the 'gun' at his plane, pulling the trigger. A beam flew from the 'gun' and the wings and propeller began to glow on the plane, despite him shooting the wheels. His smile only widened before pointing the weapon at himself and shooting, his tails glowing. "It works!" He exclaimed happily. He had created the 'gun' to glow at the weakness of anything shot with it, realising that Eggman had begun to make more dangerous robots as of late.  
>The large grin soon fell from the young fox's face as he realised that he no longer had a reason to stay in his lab. In truth Tails had been hiding in his lab working on the gun since he'd let Eclipse leave, Sonic hadn't been too happy with his little sidekick. Tails hadn't remembered that Sonic didn't know that Eclipse was Clowy until after she was gone, so now the blue hero was back to not knowing where she was. While the easiest solution was to tell Sonic about Eclipse and Clowy said female had made it clear that she didn't want Sonic to know and telling him, no matter how close the young fox was to the blue hedgehog, seemed too cruel for Tails to feel comfortable doing. His solution? Hide in his lab, where Sonic wouldn't bother him for fear of what may happen with Tails distracted with all the dangerous tools said fox used, until Sonic stopped being unhappy with Tails. Looking around Tails decided to check the X-Tornado before cleaning up.<p>

Knuckles sighed as he stared at the sky above the Master Emerald shrine, admittedly a little bored. Not even the infamous Rouge had been around lately, leaving Knuckles with nothing to do but sit and watch the unmoving, all powerful Master Emerald. His sight slowly moved until he was looking at the Master Emerald, which was faintly glowing green. It hadn't stopped since Knuckles had returned after trying to punch Alexiss, despite the blood on his glove and fur long gone. It was as though someone was trying to connect to the emerald as he was, but he refused to believe that the hybrid could ever connect to the Master Emerald. Not only was she a hybrid with only a quarter or so Echidna blood, but she was also a girl, and girls had never been guardians because they were often physically weaker than males. The Echidna huffed, looking at the sky once more and refusing to think any more about the hybrid and her brother.  
>However this only caused his thoughts to go to Eclipse, the mysterious female hedgehog who Sonic seemed so obsessed with. Knuckles huffed again, he had better things to think about than all the new comers that had appeared and the reactions of his 'friends' to them.<p>

Amy frowned unhappily as she looked around the city for what felt like the hundredth time since she'd seen Sonic and he'd asked her to help him find Eclipse. Though she and Eclipse had begun to become friends the pink hedgehog was now highly annoyed and jealous of the girl, she was taking all of Sonic's attention. She didn't understand, sure the girl had been missing for a while, but no one other than Sonic seemed to be worried about her disappearance, for all they knew she may have just went back home. Amy smiled slightly at the thought of Eclipse having left for wherever it was she came from, however she soon sighed and frowned again before continuing to where Sonic had told her to meet him and tell him if she'd found Eclipse or not.

"Sonic won't be happy..." She said sadly.

Vector relaxed in his office chair with his feet on the desk, listening to music. He'd been so worried about Espio and Clowy lately that he hadn't had a chance to just relax and listen to some tones, but with the later out with her friends and the chameleon resting this was the perfect time to relax himself.  
>Since Clowy had revealed herself as Shadow the Chaotix didn't have to worry about money, Clowy used the rings she had as Shadow to pay for the bills and food. While Vector admittedly felt a little bad for letting Clowy take care of them he didn't really have much choice as of late with the lack of jobs, but he'd assured her that she didn't have to work as a detective if she didn't want to since she already did so much for them.<br>He opened his eyes briefly, looking over at Charmy. He smiled when he saw the bee, he seemed happier since Clowy had joined them as well. Vector closed his eyes again and decided to take a nap for a little while, though they weren't sure when Clowy would be back she had left enough money for takeout for about a week, and it was a few hours until their usual dinner time. Yes, Vector decided, a nap sounded like a very good idea.

"Hey Charmy! I'm gonna take a nap." Vector stated before letting himself drift to sleep.

"Ok Vector!" Charmy laughed as he buzzed around the office with the remote-controlled helicopter Clowy had gotten him to play with, racing the small machine. Clowy had only been gone for a few hours and while the young bee was already lonely, after hearing Vector's explanation as to why he let their female companion leave with Rouge, he could bare the loneliness if it meant that Clowy would be happy again.  
>The bee stopped for a moment with a frown, his toy hovering at his side. Clowy hadn't smiled since returning, and it made him and the others sad. What's worse was that she'd constantly apologise for her behaviour and force fake smiles to try and make them feel better. Charmy shook his head, he knew that Clowy wouldn't want him to be sad, so he began to race his helicopter around the office once more to keep himself from thinking too adult-like.<p>

"Eclipse?" Sonic called as he ran, looking for the girl. He was rather annoyed with Tails for letting her just up and leave after she had healed, and he'd even went to Andrea's to ask if they'd seen the female hedgehog with no luck. He didn't really understand himself why he had to find her so badly, he just knew that something inside him wouldn't let him just forget the girl like he should.  
>His thoughts eventually went to the last battle they'd had with Eggman...Eclipse had sounded more angry than he'd ever heard and looked a lot scarier than he'd imagined she could. For a moment in that battle he'd thought she was going to use Chaos Blast, but that was impossible...mind you, a floating hedgehog was normally impossible too, and she seemed to have use Chaos Control before passing out. He tried to think back...what had Alexiss said made Eclipse so angry...<p>

Espio blinked, his eyes hurting from staring at the ceiling for the past several minutes without a blink. His mind kept going to Clowy no matter how much he tried to stop it. He couldn't deny that while he'd initially felt uncomfortable around her, he'd become protective of the only female Chaotix member despite her showing that she could take care of herself fully well most of the time. She'd helped all of the Chaotix with her rings, cooking skills and even kindness. However Vector had told him that she'd acted far more like Shadow when everyone thought he was dead...the thought of Clowy acting so cold and hostile made him tremble slightly, even though he knew that Clowy was secretly Shadow anyway.  
>While Espio liked to mediate and stay still in general staying in bed was different and quickly became boring, but he knew that Vector would be unhappy if he did anything that could make his injuries worse...same with Clowy. So he sighed and began staring at the ceiling once more, waiting for food or Clowy's return, whichever came first.<p>

* * *

><p>This may not seem all that long to you, but it took a while to write everyone's thoughts like this, so I hope I did well. Anyway, hope you all liked. Next chapter will be up soon...but I'm to take a small break for some sleep. Review for me so I know people haven't given up on me, ok? Thanks, see you all again soon.<p> 


	18. A Friend's Sacrifice

Despite this chapter being one I planned for a long time, it was much harder to write than I thought it would be. You'll all see what I mean, please read and review once you're done.

* * *

><p>"I'm back!" Clowy called upon returning to the Chaotix Headquarters, a few days after her initial leave, back in her Clowy outfit but with her inhibitor rings on her wrists.<p>

"Clowy! You're back!" Charmy was the first to hear the girl, flying at full speed into her open arms, which closed around him in a hug.

"Sorry I was gone so long, Omega didn't want to leave until we were sure there was nothing important there. It took a few days." Clowy apologised to the small bee.

"Welcome back Clowy." Vector said upon entering the entry way, Espio at his side.

"Thanks Vector." Clowy said with a smile, looking at Espio. "You alright now?" She asked him.

"I shouldn't fight or run too much, but fine beyond that." Espio assured her. Clowy smiled again, happy. She'd just let Charmy go when her communicator began to beep. Everyone looked at it before Clowy answered the call, Rouge appearing on the screen.

"We've got trouble, Eggman's attacking again. And he's got six of the Chaos Emeralds!" The bat exclaimed.

"We'll be right there Rouge." Clowy stated, hanging up. "Espio, you stay here. Charmy, Vector, let's go." She said, turning on her heel.

"I'm going as well." Espio insisted, causing Clowy to look back at him. Her eyes flicked to Vector.

"Keep him out of trouble, alright?" She asked him, the crocodile nodding. Vector and Espio placed a hand on her shoulder while she held Charmy in her free hand, the hedgehog pulling out her Chaos Emerald. "Hold on. Tight." She warned the boys, who both nodded. "Chaos...Control!"

The four appeared about a block away from an area where they could hear gunfire. "I'm going ahead, you guys catch up." Clowy stated, the jets of air coming out of the unseen holes at the bottom of her boots, the girl skating towards the action.

"I didn't think I gave you permission to attack us Doctor!" Came a female voice, a black and red blur knocking the arm that had been headed towards Sonic away from him.

"Clowy?" Sonic asked in confusion. Clowy looked down at herself, only then realising she was indeed still dressed as Clowy.

"I'll explain later Sonic; right now it's time to fight." She assured him, getting into a fighting position beside the other hedgehog. He nodded, it wasn't Shadow or Eclipse but it was help nonetheless. She looked at the momentarily motionless robot, it looked a lot like the Eggsterminator. "It's powered by six of the Chaos Emeralds."

"Yeah." Sonic agreed, despite it not being a question. Clowy cracked her knuckles.

"Chaos Emeralds or not, this is our town." She stated, Sonic nodding again and finally getting into a fighting position himself. "Rouge! Make sure the Chaotix don't get involved with this...I don't need Espio hurt again!" The female hedgehog called up to the bat.

"Right." Rouge agreed, flying to their side. Charmy was strong, but with two fliers both Espio and Vector would be grabbed and moved even if Charmy panicked and only grabbed one of them.

"Who are you, hedgehog?" Eggman demanded to Clowy, not recognising her.

"My name is Clowy the Hedgehog, a member of the Chaotix Detective Agency. And I'm here to stop you from scaring away all our customers Egghead!" Clowy stated proudly, smirking at the end. Eggman's eyes narrowed and the robot he was in threw a punch at her. Everyone was shocked to see Clowy stop the large metal fist with one hand, grabbing the wrist. "Outta the way!" She warned, flipping the robot over her shoulder and causing it to land with a loud thud. Sonic Heroes and Chaotix alike stared at the girl in shock, even those who knew of her armour hadn't realised her brute strength without it.

"...Nice one." Sonic smiled at her widely, deciding now was not the time to question. Clowy back flipped as a beam shot where she had been standing, the robot now glowing.

"I think now would be a good time to work together Sonic." Clowy stated as the robot stood. The hedgehogs sped towards the robot in unison, only for it to disappear. "Split!" Clowy yelled quickly, both hedgehog's turning sharply and running away from each other, the robot punching the ground where they had been moments before. "Keep running!" Clowy insisted loudly, Sonic following her lead. As long as they didn't stop it couldn't hit them, but she had to think of a way to stop it. The robot disappeared again and Clowy got a very bad feeling, she spun and pulled out her Chaos emerald from under her skirt. She Chaos Controlled in front of the Chaotix and Rouge just in time to intercept the fist that would have hit the group. The Chaos Energy tore her gloves, boots and goggles, her spikes returning to their natural position.

"Your-" Charmy tried to warn her about her spikes.

"Move!" The red eyed hedgehog demanded, both hands holding the robot in place. Without further question Rouge grabbed Vector's hand and flew away from the scene as quickly as she could, Charmy following close behind with Espio.

"You're that hedgehog I fought before!" Eggman realised, trying to pull the fist from the girl. Glowing or not, the female hedgehog was using the Chaos Energy in the robot to halt its movement.

"That's Eclipse the Hedgehog, Doctor." Eclipse stated, her red eyes filled with rage at his attempt to hurt her friends. She immediately felt the energy begin to fade from the robot.

"Alexiss did it! She got Knuckles to stop the Chaos Emeralds with the Master Emerald!" Tails said happily as the glow faded, being near the Chaotix and Rouge.

"I'm right here Tails." Came the voice from behind Tails. Everyone turned to look at the owner of the voice, who was indeed Knuckles. He looked mildly confused.

"Knuckles...what would happen if a hybrid used the Master Emerald?" Eclipse called up to him suddenly.

"The power of the Master Emerald would go through their body and turn them into a green echidna, killing them but fulfilling their request. Why?" Knuckles asked, the female hedgehog not responding. As the others tried to figure out the reason for the question Eclipse's fangs extended. She unclipped the inhibitor rings around her wrists, tossing them to the still shocked Sonic.

"Hold onto those for me." Eclipse said in a deep voice, Chaos Energy surrounding her and her eyes going blood red as they had once before. She floated up to the cockpit of the robot, staring down at Eggman. No words were spoken as the huge red explosion of Chaos Energy engulfed the robot, Eggman somehow escaping. Despite the blast passing all of them, none of the Sonic Heroes or friends were harmed by the energy, though the buildings and roads were demolished along with the robot. Once the blast had stopped Eclipse began to fall, only to be caught by Rouge in mid-air.

"Are you alright?" The bat asked.

"I need to go to Angel Island." Eclipse stated without hesitation, though she was gasping slightly. Rouge sighed, knowing there was no point in trying to stop her, grabbed the girl's inhibitor rings from the ground near Sonic and began to fly towards Angel Island.

"Andrea!" Eclipse stated the moment she say the girl, jumping from Rouge's hold and landing beside the princess. Andrea's eyes were bloodshot as she looked helplessly up at Eclipse, causing the hedgehog to bite her lip slightly. "Where is Alexiss?" She asked softly, afraid of the answer. Andrea pointed to the Master Emerald. Eclipse turned and gasped at what she saw. A green echidna was lying face down in front of the Master Emerald, ungloved hand still touching it. Eclipse took a step forward, noticing the familiar purple and white of the ripped outfit. However the metal left hand was what truly gave away the identity of the 'echidna'.

"Who is that?" Rouge asked, not understanding the situation.

"It...it's...Alexiss..." Eclipse whispered so softly only the bat could hear as she reached the 'echidna' and flipped her over, revealing the familiar bangs covering her right eye. Just as Knuckles had described, everything that had made her a hybrid seemed to be gone and leaving only her echidna blood. Eclipse slowly pulled the hand away from the Master Emerald, and the moment she did Alexiss returned to normal, her outfit still torn. The hedgehog stared at the hybrid for several moments, as if hoping that by doing so said hybrid would open her eyes.

"She's dead..." Andrea sobbed, burying her face in her hands and crying as she had surely been doing until Eclipse and Rouge arrived. "Darius was back...Alaster had even found us...why did she have to die?" Andrea demanded as she cried. Rouge stayed silent, though she hadn't been the closest with Alexiss she still felt very upset with the girl's death.

"I knew you were going to die..." Eclipse whispered, her hands trembling as she shakily moved the hair to reveal Alexiss' other closed eye. "I knew it...but I couldn't do anything..."

"Clowy!" The voice of Vector caused Eclipse to look up, seeing Charmy carrying his teammates to her. She suddenly got up and ran, ran towards the headquarters. She wanted so badly to cry, but she didn't want the Chaotix to have to see her crying again.

* * *

><p>Now you understand why this was hard for me to write, with Alexiss being highly based off of me I feel very upset. I had to listen to happy music just to keep myself from crying like Andrea. Anyway...review please, it makes me happy...and I really need happy right now...<p> 


	19. Memories of a Friend

Since no one had reviewed this story I was unsure if I should bother continuing it, since people seemed to have given up on it...however after getting a Favourite I decided to continue this story until the end. I just hope people review so I don't lose hope again.

* * *

><p>"...Clowy?" Charmy asked softly as the three entered her room, sitting on her bed with her face buried in her hands and sobbing. She hadn't changed from the battle, making her look like an odd mix between Clowy and Eclipse.<p>

"Clowy...there was nothing you could do..." Vector tried to assure her, the female hedgehog looking up at the three.

"I knew...I knew she was going to die..." Eclipse explained, trying not to keep sobbing while she told them. "I knew...but I couldn't do a thing!" She cried, her face back in her hands.

"The vision that was bothering you..." Espio realised aloud, Eclipse just crying harder. Without really thinking Espio walked forward, sat on the bed and pulled the girl into his arms. Her sobs stopped for a moment before she put her face against the chameleon's bare chest and crying again. He held her until she finally fell asleep.

"No wonder she was so upset lately..." Charmy stated, floating sadly in the air in the Chaotix office with Vector in his chair and Espio sitting cross-legged nearby.

"It must have been hard for her, seeing one of her friends was going to die and not knowing how or when." Vector agreed sadly.

"Perhaps she stayed in her armour so she didn't have to see such visions again." Espio suggested, causing his teammates to look at him. They hadn't thought that there may have been more reasons that Eclipse stayed in her armour, reasons that she didn't tell them for one reason or another.

"None of us could bare seeing that." Charmy agreed, Vector nodding. Though he wouldn't admit it he'd been deeply disturbed by seeing the strong Eclipse the way she had become with Alexiss' death, she was the Ultimate Life Form after all. The continuous knock on the door drew the attention of the Chaotix, the knocking so fast it sounding more like one echoing knock than several separate ones.

"What you doing here Sonic?" Vector asked as he opened the door, blocking the hedgehog's way.

"I don't know why you were hiding her but I came to see Eclipse." Sonic stated harshly. Vector's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Listen Sonic, I understand that you want to see her but now isn't a good time." Vector stated to the blue hedgehog. It was Sonic's turn to narrow his eyes. Espio and Charmy stood behind Vector, ready to fight the hedgehog if they had to. "Just come back later Sonic, I don't want to get violent with you." Vector warned.

"...Fine." Sonic growled, turning on his heel and dashing off. After a few moments to make sure he wasn't coming back Vector closed the door again.

"The last thing Clowy needs is Sonic pestering her about being Eclipse and Shadow." Espio stated, Charmy and Vector nodding.

"It's getting late...we should probably go to sleep ourselves." Vector pointed out.

"Alright...good night Vector, night Espio." Charmy said, flying up to his room.

"Night Espio." Vector said, going to his own room. Espio on the other hand snuck into Clowy's room, sitting cross-legged against the wall near her bed and sleeping like that, so he'd be awakened if she needed him.

"Princess Andrea...you've been crying since you returned but haven't told us what's wrong or where Alexiss is...please, we need to know what's going on..." Alaster begged the crying princess. Andrea sniffled, looking up at him. He, Maxwell and Darius were all in the room, the friend of the former two having left for his own adventure long ago.

"Alexiss is...you know of the fight against Sonic and Eclipse's enemy early today, correct?" The red princess asked, all three nodding. She and Alexiss had left to help while Andrea had insisted the rest of them stay where it was safe, after all. "He had six of the seven Chaos Emeralds to power his match-in...Tails asked us to have Knuckles use the Master Emerald to take the power out of the Chaos Emeralds until the battle was over. Alexiss and I flew to Angel Island, but Knuckles was not there. Worried for the others...Alexiss placed her hand against the Master Emerald and said the chant to active it, make it heed her command...the energy of the emerald rushed through her, turning her into a green echidna and...and..." Despite her best attempts not to Andrea began to cry again. "The power killed her...and saved the others..." She sobbed. Alaster slowly fell to his knees at the news while Darius began to cry like the princess, Max looking away from the group and biting his lip to keep from crying as well.

"Alexiss...she did what she felt she had to, as the only one beyond Knuckles who could use the Master Emerald...even if the consequences were fatal..." Max stated as calmly as he could. "We shouldn't cry for her, it would only sully her sacrifice...we don't want her to see us like this from the afterlife, we want her to see that we are proud of what she did and...and celebrating her life rather...rather than her...her death..." By the end of the prince's speech he too was crying silently for the knight who had given all to protect not only her princess, but everyone in Ring City. Still crying Alaster moved over to Darius and hugged the small boy, allowing him what little comfort the echidna-lizard hybrid could give him.

* * *

><p>And Andrea tried so hard to explain everthing without crying, Max too...I'll probably have the funeral the chapter after next, though I don't have any idea what to make the next chapter. Anyway, read and review so I don't lose hope please.<p> 


	20. Possessions Left by a Friend

It took a while to decide what to do, but I eventually decided to have a chapter explaining a bit of Alexiss' past while Clowy and Andrea pack up all her old things to give away.

* * *

><p>"Where...do you want these?" Clowy called to Andrea, holding up Alexiss' signature weapons. Andrea turned from the box that she was packing and saw the weapons, biting her lip.<p>

"I will give them to Darius or Alaster...just put them on the bed." The red princess said, gesturing to the old wooden bed. Clowy nodded and placed the weapons gently down, while she didn't know Alaster she knew he had to have been very important to Alexiss if Andrea was willing to give him Alexiss' weapons. Clowy found herself looking around the small room sadly. While here it seemed that Andrea had gotten Alexiss a few things; an old wooden chest for her clothes that Andrea was currently digging through, a shelf for material from books to scrolls and her weapons which Clowy had been organising a moment ago, and a table with a candle and several paintings on it. The first painting was of Alexiss and Andrea when they were children, the second of Alexiss and Darius with two adults that Clowy assumed were her parents, the third of Alexiss and the one named Alaster from a year or two ago...the final painting was of Andrea, Alexiss, Darius and Alaster all together, apparently painted only a few days before she had died by the Devil-Hedgehog hybrid known as Max. Andrea had said that the first three were also painted by Max, and that Alaster and Max had brought the painting with them when they began to search for the missing princess and knight.

"So...who was this Alaster to Alexiss anyway?" Clowy asked curiously as she walked back to the shelf.

"Alaster is Maxwell's knight. Since Maxwell and I were engaged at a young age, he often came to my kingdom to visit with Alaster, and the two became friends after Alexiss beat him in battle to prove herself as my knight-"

"What do you mean 'prove herself as your knight'?" Clowy cut in. Andrea blinked before realising that the past of her and Alexiss was basically a mystery to the others.

"Oh...I forgot that you do not know of any of this. Alaster was born and raised to be the strongest knight, but in my kingdom a tournament was held whenever a new knight was needed and anyone could enter. Alexiss had been my friend for a few years by that point...despite being the youngest to fight at seven as well as a girl; she easily beat grown men with those weapons of hers. Alaster had thought she did not deserve to be my knight because she was not raised to be...however Alexiss beat him as well with the same surprising ease." Andrea explained to the black and red hedgehog.

"Someone born with the power that someone raised didn't..." Clowy thought aloud, it reminded her a bit of herself and Sonic. She had been raised the ultimate life form, yet he seemed to be able to do almost everything she could, and what he couldn't Clowy believed he simply hadn't tried. Despite these thoughts Clowy would never admit it to the blue hedgehog. Andrea cleared her throat.

"Alexiss and Alaster became fast friends after Alexiss had proved herself as my knight, and they often spent their time together when they were not watching over Maxwell and I. Alaster taught Alexiss all the proper actings of a knight, and Alexiss taught Alaster how to fight. Darius eventually came to the castle to see his sister, and was initially very soft spoken around Alaster but he became much happier when he saw how close they were. Alaster...Alaster told Alexiss that he was in love with her the last trip that he and Maxwell ever came to my kingdom. Alexiss was conflicted with her duty to protect me and her feelings for Alaster, so she told him to give her some time to figure things out. He agreed and left with Maxwell...however two days later my kingdom was attacked and we thought Darius had died. During our travels here Alexiss eventually could not handle the loss of her brother, the only in her family she cared for, and repressed her memories of everything. I think...I think she was beginning to remember, before...before..." Andrea began to cry again, Clowy looking at the books and scrolls and beginning to pack them in the boxes like she had been doing before engaging in conversation about the dead knight.

"Alexiss was powerful, no matter what others seemed to think of her. And she did everything in her power to protect us...while I'm very sad that she is dead and I wish she wasn't...I'm also very grateful to her for saving Sonic and I from Eggman, without her help I'm not sure if we could have won." Clowy admitted to the princess.

"Do not get me wrong, I am grateful for what Alexiss did as well...but like you, I wish she did not have to...to sacrifice so much to do so." Andrea explained, Clowy nodding in understanding. Many who had come to know Alexiss as a friend felt the same as the two. Clowy turned back to the shelf and began to pull out more books and scrolls. She stopped upon seeing a hidden layer of scrolls behind the books on the shelf, and curiously unrolled one of the scrolls.

"_I'm grateful to Mr. Tails for making me this art-a-fish-ale 'and the other day. Still, since 'e made it, I keep feeling this odd...tug...at my chest, and at random times I see a flash of glowing green. I wonder if 'tis something to do with the 'and...I'll 'ave to ask 'im next time we meet." _Clowy read the scroll in her mind, reading the date at the top as indeed three days after Tails made her the mechanical hand. _She wrote the same way she spoke..._ The hedgehog thought with a soft but sad smile, gathering the scrolls and bringing them to Andrea. "These seems to be journals or something, they're dated and everything." She stated.

"Journals?" Andrea asked, sounding shocked as she reached for one. Unrolling it, her eyes seemed to scan the content. "This one is...I see, she started writing them after we got here in fear of losing her memory again." Andrea murmured.

"When I saw them I figured you'd want to keep them, so I decided not to pack them in the box with the other books and scrolls. Since you're giving everything in the boxes away and all." Clowy explained.

"Yes...I do want to keep them...thank you Eclipse." Andrea said thankfully, smiling her own sad smile at the hedgehog.

"You can call me Clowy you know. I live with the Chaotix and work for them...I'm hardly the same person as I was when I was known as Eclipse, or even Shadow." Clowy pointed out to the princess, who had put the scrolls carefully on her lap.

"Clowy...yes, if that is what you would prefer." Andrea agreed before going back to packing the clothes. They were all Alexiss' signature colours of purple and white...perhaps she wore those colours because of her brother, though Clowy supposed they'd never know. She had just walked back to the bookshelf again when Max came in.

"You're Eclipse, right?" He asked her.

"I just went through explaining the answer to that as hardly, but yeah. What is it?" The teenaged hedgehog asked.

"Sonic wants to speak to you." Max replied simply. Clowy groaned, she'd been avoiding him as best she could with the help of the Chaotix for the past few days, but it seemed her luck had run out.

"Tell him I left, ok? I don't feel like talking to him right now, and I'm busy anyway." She said, going back to work. Max looked at Andrea, who nodded in agreement with the hedgehog. He left to tell Sonic just that.

"Hey...do you mind if Darius and I help?" Alaster's voice came from the door, causing the girls to turn to look at him. He looked nervous and his eyes were bloodshot, Darius standing beside him was no different.

"...You may figure out who gets Alexiss' weapons and the paintings." Andrea finally decided, turning back to her work. Alaster and Darius looked at one another, likely satisfied only because of how few Alexiss' possessions had been, and moved the paintings to the bed before beginning to try and figure out who got what.

"We...can't figure out who should get this last photo." Alaster said after several minutes, bringing the attention of Andrea and Clowy to him and Darius again. He was holding up the painting that had been made only a few days before Alexiss had died.

"That's a picture of everyone that Alexiss cared about most, right?" Clowy asked. The three nodded. "Then you should put it with her...coffin...during the funeral..." Despite trying not to, Clowy had a hard time saying coffin. The others looked like they were having an equally hard time taking the word, too. However they all nodded in agreement with the idea. It had been decided that Darius would get the weapons and family painting, Alaster would get the one of him and her, and Andrea would get the one of herself and her knight. The books, scrolls and clothes were packed and to be left in the room until after the funeral. Clowy waved her goodbyes to the group before disappearing with the repowered Chaos Emerald.

"I am sorry Alexiss. You were my best friend, yet...I treated you so harshly. This room was not fit for you...but I kept telling myself that you would not mind until we rebuilt the kingdom. But here I am, in this room...you are gone, and yet the kingdom has yet to be rebuilt. You will never see the kingdom in its former glory...you will never see it better than before. But we will make it so, not only for those dead when we left, but for you as well. Rest peacefully in the afterlife, Alexiss Phai."

* * *

><p>Andrea finally admitted that she didn't treat Alexiss the best, and is truely sorry that Alexiss won't be able to see the kingdom rebuilt after she worked so hard to protect Andrea so that it could be rebuilt. Anyway, hope you all like this little insight into Alexiss' life and next should be the funeral chapter.<p> 


	21. Um Funeral

_Well, here we are..._ Clowy thought as she looked at the dove minister. Though the man spoke in a beautiful yet strong way everything he said seemed to be going in one ear and out the other for most of the friends within the funeral home. _We're all here to pay our respects for Alexiss, yet...something feels off..._ She added, shaking her head quickly. She felt a periodic...pulse of Chaos energy from Alexiss' coffin, though she supposed that with the way she died it was to be expected. Charmy was sitting on her lap, Espio and Vector on either side of her.

"Clowy?" Charmy asked softly, causing the hedgehog to look down at the small bee boy, who in turn was looking up at her.

"Yes?" She asked just as softly, not wanting to draw attention to them.

"Are you alright?" Just like in the vision Clowy felt a pull at her heart strings the moment the question was asked.

"I'm...I'll be fine Charmy." She said softly, holding him closer to her. The girl knew she wasn't lying to him, but what she hadn't said was that it would take a while before she was fine again. Clowy looked up when people began to take the stage to talk about the dead hybrid, listening to them. However it seemed that many who had known her well were waiting for those who did not to finish getting out their goodbyes.

"Hold Charmy." Clowy whispered to Espio before standing and going up to the stage. "I'm not really good at speeches...so I'm going to try to say everything I want to and I just hope it all comes out right. But first..." Reaching up, the girl pulled her goggles and headband free to allow her spikes to shoot to their proper formation. There was a collective gasp from all those who didn't know.

"Eclipse...?" The girl could hear a few ask softly. She took a deep breath, pulling out her Chaos Emerald. Within a flash Shadow stood in her place, and after a few more minutes her armour fell around her and disappeared. She then took another breath and began to speak.

"I kept a lot of things secret...perhaps because of nature or perhaps because I was scared. But Alexiss knew me, knew everything and accepted me for who I was. She didn't want me to keep these things secret from others, but she understood why I wanted to and never questioned it. She worried about me when I disappeared, and protected me when I wasn't strong enough to. It's true that Alexiss was a hybrid, so some looked down on her...but she was stronger and kinder than several full bloods I know. I suppose that all I really want to say is...thank you, Alexiss, for everything that you've done for every one of us. I'm not sure if reincarnation exists, but if so than I hope we all meet you again, and that you're living the happy life that you deserve." Eclipse finished before walking back over to the Chaotix, who each looked a little proud of what she had done.

"There are a few more people who wanted to speak, but they are unable to because of their grief so I will speak for my entire group." Andrea said as she walked up to the stage. "Alexiss was my knight and my best friend. She was determined and strong, and despite every bad thing that had happened to her she still had a love for life like I have never seen...perhaps that is a part of the reason that her death hurts me as much as it does. I will admit, I did not treat Alexiss as well as I should have, and I deeply regret this. Alexiss saved my life before we came to this city, in hopes that my kingdom would be revived to its former glory. So when I leave I am going to rebuild my kingdom to be better than ever, for her sake." Andrea stated with her eyes closed.

"And?" Alaster lightly prompted, Andrea nodding.

"Alexiss also had a loving little brother and...potential lover. They wanted me to say that no matter how much time passes we will never forget Alexiss, but instead learn to deal with her no longer being among us." Andrea added before walking back to her group. One by one everyone went up to place a flower in the hybrid's coffin, Eclipse watching them from beside her friends. When it was finally her turn she went up along with Espio and placed the flower in the girl's unmoving hands before going back to sit with the other Chaotix.

"Knuckles, not here!" Eclipse heard someone say, everyone turning to see Knuckles obviously just noticing the little Darius and trying to punch him. However a sudden object hit the echidna and sent him flying back, everyone looking at the object to see it as one of Alexiss' tonfas.

"I thought we already agreed that there's no need for violence Mr. Knuckles." Came a familiar voice. Everyone froze before ever so slowly turning towards the coffin, seeing Alexiss sitting there with the flower in one hand and her second tonfa in the other. The being flapped her wings, carrying herself from the coffin and landed in front of it.

"A...A...A..." No one seemed to be able to say the hybrid's name with her standing there like that, as if nothing had happened.

"As though 'tis not enough that ya leave your island knowin' full well that Princess Andrea and I were on our way to get ya to 'elp us stop the Chaos Emeralds, ya try to lock my soul in the Master Emerald to boot." The hybrid growled at the echidna. "Ya knew full well that connection to the Master Emerald wouldn't kill me, but pull my soul into the Master Emerald for a few days instead. But ya 'ad every intention of trappin' me in it until my body was buried so I would die anyway. You were effectively tryin' to murder me!" She growled loudly. Everyone turned from Alexiss to Knuckles, who looked like he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to do.

"A friendly word of advice Knuckles. I'd run." Eclipse warned the red echidna, who immediately got up and ran out of the funeral home. The hedgehog was about to follow after when Andrea called her name.

"Clowy, stop!" Andrea demanded, Eclipse turning to look at her. She looked like she was trying hard not to hug her revived friend. "It is my duty to deal with Knuckles; he attempted something against my kingdom and knight after all." The red princess stated.

"...If you say so Andrea." Eclipse responded, slowly beginning to walk towards the newly revived hybrid.

"...Sissy!" Called a sudden voice, soft and young. Darius tackled Alexiss' legs, holding her tightly as though he was afraid letting her go would make her disappear again.

"Darius, 'ey." Alexiss responded, kneeling down and hugging her brother tightly. She then lifted up with him still in her arms and hugged Alaster, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. She then put her little brother back down, though he still clung to her legs, and hugged her princess. "It took a while, but I finally remember everythin'. Guess it took the Master Emerald to 'elp my memory return." She stated to everyone still there, smiling.

"Sissy." The same voice as before said, everyone suddenly realising that the one speaking was Darius.

"Ya...ya can speak again?" Alexiss asked her little brother, Darius nodding.

"Sissy...miss..." He said slowly, smiling up at her. Alexiss smiled back at her brother and picked him up again, hugging him.

"I think I've 'ad enough of this place, let's all go 'ome." She said, her group nodding and leaving. Slowly everyone left until all that remained was the Chaotix, Eclipse, Sonic and Tails. Sonic marched dutifully over to the Chaotix and Eclipse.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" He demanded. Eclipse sighed.

"Like you'd have taken me seriously if I had told you the truth from the beginning, Faker." Eclipse pointed out, hissing the last word. "Yeah, I'm Shadow. Girl or guy I'm still the ultimate life form and I really don't feel like dealing with you, my friend is alive and right now I'd like to be happy about it. So you can come whining to me later." She added harshly, looking at her three companions. "Let's go." She said, Charmy flying into her free arm while Espio and Vector grabbed onto her shoulders, the group disappearing.

* * *

><p>Come on now, you didn't really think I could kill myself off, did you? Read and review!<p> 


	22. Goodbye my Friends

Clowy sat on her bed with her legs crossed, thinking about the recent happenings.

_Ok, let's do this productively. Pros and Cons. _She thought. _Pros; Alexiss is alive, she has her memory back, I don't have to hide who I am anymore, Eggman is too busy being terrified of me to do anything dangerous and the Chaotix have been having a bunch of business these last few days. Cons; With Alexiss' memory back Andrea's group will probably be leaving to rebuild her kingdom soon, Sonic knows who I am, Eggman has time to plan something really big and the Chaotix have been so busy that I've hardly spoken to them. _Clowy sighed at the last thought. Indeed; Vector, Espio and Charmy had been incredibly busy and Vector had insisted that she shouldn't work with how much she'd already done for them; they had left the night before and had yet to return. To make matters worse Sonic had been trying to get her to explain everything and had been rather harsh about it, and she'd had a much harder time avoiding him without the Chaotix around much.

"Eclipse!" A voice demanded from the front door, the fast knocking sounding like one echoing knock. She sighed again before letting out a very soft groan, hoping that if she sat silently on her bed than she'd be able to make him think she wasn't home.

"Clowy?" Vector called when he and the others got home, expecting the girl to appear in her usual Chaos Control flash. He stood for several moments before becoming worried with the hedgehog's lack of appearance, walking into the kitchen with his two teammates following behind him. On the counter was a still hot meal for the group; chicken and soup with sandwiches and crackers. Almost immediately the entire group seemed to get a feeling of dread and raced to Clowy's room as fast as they each could. The floor was covered in bags of rings, with a note in the middle simple telling them to use the rings as they needed and to take care...all of Clowy's belongings had been taken from the room.

"Clowy?" Charmy whimpered, hoping that this was all some cruel joke. Espio looked around the room desperately for a clue, anything to tell him where the hedgehog was or why she had left. His eyes widened as he saw a flash of bright red from the pouring rain outside, opening the window and jumping out without a second thought.

"Clowy!" Espio yelled, causing the girl to stop in her trek away from the Chaotix Detective Agency.

"...Hey Espio." She said, turning on her heel to face him. Over her shoulder was a duffle bag that he was certain held the missing belongings, her goggles over her eyes to help her see in the harsh downpour.

"Espio, what do you think you're-...Clowy?" Vector's demand became a confused question as he saw the black and red girl.

"...Hey." She repeated, looking at Charmy. He had followed Vector out on foot in the rain, despite it making him incapable of flight, because he was worried about Espio.

"Clowy? What's going on?" The bee asked in worry.

"I'm...I'm leaving. Not just the Chaotix Detective Agency, I'm leaving this city and perhaps even the continent if I can." The girl explained with slight hesitation.

"You can't leave!" Vector said, sounding panicked. Clowy felt a pull at her heart at the memory of this vision, though it was different this time the ending was the same. She found herself pulling her goggles back into their usual place on her head.

"I've made up my mind Vector, there's nothing you or any of the others can do to stop me." Clowy stated coldly.

"But you're one of us! You can't just up and leave us!" He continued to try to reason with her.

"I don't want to leave any more then you want me to, but I can't stay here. He'll come after me, you know he will." The hedgehog tried to explain.

"Then we'll keep him from you. Please Clowy, don't leave. You're like family to us." Espio begged.

_I seem a lot like more than family to you, Espio. _Clowy thought, shaking her head to rid herself of the thought and smiling sadly. "It's not that simple, no matter how much I wish it was. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have to get as far away as I can before the rain lets up." She said, turning from the group and beginning to walk away. She spun around suddenly, throwing a black emerald locket with red markings and a gold chain to Charmy, who barely managed to catch it. A moment later she threw a green object at Espio, who caught it with ease.

"W-what?!" Espio demanded when he realised what she'd thrown to him.

"They're goodbye presents. Take care of Charmy for me!" Clowy called, before running as fast as she could away from the Chaotix Detective Head Quarters, the tears streaming down her face hidden by the rain.

"Clowy, wait!" Charmy cried, trying to fly after her. His wet wings stopped him from being able to do as he wanted, and after several minutes of him trying to fly after the long gone girl Vector picked up the small boy. And Charmy cried against the large adult, clutching the locket bracelet to his chest. Unable to bring himself to speak, Vector carried the bee inside and found himself placing him on Clowy's old bed, the blank looking Espio sitting where he's sat when Clowy had though Alexiss was dead and staring at the green Chaos Emerald in his lap. Vector pet Charmy's head until he fell asleep in the bed, deciding it best to leave the distraught Espio alone and went to his office. There, where no one could see him, the leader of the Chaotix cried for the loss of their friend.

"Miss Clowy?" Alexiss asked in surprise upon finding the one knocking on the door of the tower was indeed the very wet female ex-Chaotix member. "You're gonna get sick. Please, come in." The fox hybrid said, moving back to let Clowy in, only for the girl to shake her head.

"I need to speak to Andrea...and you too. I don't have time to come in." The hedgehog stated, her voice a little weak. Alexiss' eyes narrowed slightly in concern, perhaps the girl was already getting sick? But she'd said she didn't have time to come in, and it seemed important for her to talk to Andrea, so Alexiss relented and went to get the princess.

"What is the meaning of dragging me out of my tower into this downpour?" Andrea grumbled unhappily, the group just far enough away from the tower not to be able to be seen or heard from it in the harsh rain.

"I came to tell you that I'm leaving the city, perhaps even the continent. I felt that I should tell you two, as my friends." Clowy explained to the red princess. Andrea's eyes narrowed.

"Because of Sonic?" She asked, already knowing the answer. The nod was almost unseen, but the two hybrids had seen it anyway. Wanting to keep as dry as possible Andrea leaned against a tree while Alexiss' eyes fell to the ground and her fists clenched.

"I never believed you would leave because of him, of all people." Andrea said suddenly, her casual mask cracking for a second before it returned again.

"Neither did I. But he knows the truth now, and I can't risk staying here, he would never understand no matter how much I explained it to him." I said sadly.

"Indeed. " Andrea agreed, though the grip on her arms was tighter.

"I can't blame ya for wantin' to leave, for not wantin' to explain to someone who can never understand. But still... twon't be the same without ya Miss Clowy." Alexiss said sadly, her fists clenching harder.

"Sorry Alexiss, but this isn't something I can risk." Clowy said, knowing that Alexiss would understand her better than her princess.

"Yeah..." She agreed sadly.

"If you truly must leave...then be kind enough to take this with you." Andrea said, pulling a necklace from her pocket. The chain was gold and sparkled even without light. On it were two charms, like on a charm bracelet. On closer inspection Clowy saw that one was pale pink circle with a white three point crown in the middle and the other was a violet circle with a white five point star in the middle, the marks of Andrea and Alexiss in turn.

"So ya won't forget Princess Andrea or I." Was Alexiss' explanation, Andrea walking from the tree and placing the necklace softly in the hedgehog free hand, closing her fingers around it.

"I won't." Clowy promised, turning and running away quickly. Without a word the two hybrids slowly returned to the tower, Andrea returning to her room and Maxwell while Alexiss returned to her new room. The room had initially been the guest room that Alaster had stayed in, but the plush queen-sized bed and all of Alexiss' possessions had made it their room instead. After explaining to their respective lovers the Princess and Knight were comforted for the recent events.

_Why am I doing this? _Clowy questioned herself at the bottom of the apartment building Rouge lived in. Getting into Rouge's apartment without a Chaos Emerald would be difficult, and though she could take off her inhibitor rings and Chaos Control up there it would make her easier to track, the entire reason she'd given Espio the emerald was to keep from being tracked to begin with. It wasn't until that point that Clowy realised she was still wearing her communicator, which was luckily waterproof. She quickly used it to call Rouge outside.

"Clipz? What's going on?" Rouge asked once she was outside.

"I have to go Rouge." Clowy stated. Rouge's eyes narrowed in annoyance.

"Then why did you call me out here?" She asked, the hedgehog shaking her head.

"No...I mean I'm leaving. The city, maybe even the continent. I don't know when I'm coming back...or if I am at all." The black and red female explained, looking at the ground. Rouge stopped glaring and instead her eyes widened considerably, staring in what appeared to be horror. "I've done a lot of things without asking or telling you, so...I thought you had the right to know this time." Clowy added, handing her the communicator.

"...I can't change your mind, can I?" Rouge asked, Clowy shaking her head. "Alright, well I'm going to...to really miss you Clipz. I'll tell Omega for you and...I really hope you come back Clipz." She added.

"Maybe Rouge...maybe." And with that the hedgehog left her oldest living friend. Rouge sighed and returned to her home, looking at the gems on the walls to make herself feel better.

"I'm glad Sonic isn't here. I wanted to thank you for keeping everything from him. I have to leave, leaving the city. But I still wanted to thank you, so...thanks Tails." Clowy said to the twin-tailed fox.

"W-what, what?!" Tails demanded in a high pitch.

"I'm sorry, but I've wasted enough times explaining this to the others. I'm sorry, goodbye Tails." Without anything else Clowy ran, fast and determined, far from Ring City and everyone she knew. Perhaps forever.


	23. Hopeful Information

Here's the next chapter for you all to read! It's happy and sad all at once. It also explains why Eclipse knows that Sonic wouldn't understand if she explained everything to him.

* * *

><p>Weeks had gone by since the third disappearance of Eclipse the Hedgehog, and no one could find themselves smiling in her absence. The Chaotix had stopped doing their job without the drive of returning to the cheerful hedgehog cooking them a warm meal, Andrea's group couldn't find the motivation to make plans of returning home even with Alexiss back, Rouge no longer seemed to find gems interesting since she was lacking the hedgehog's constant amusement at her obsession and Sonic was very irritable with his friends all having to deal with him.<p>

"...Vector?" Charmy asked the adult suddenly, Vector looking over at him to see him looking at the locket-bracelet on his wrist. The Chaotix had gotten the worst of the depression of their Clowy's absence, and Charmy was no exception. Since receiving it Charmy hadn't taken off the locket-bracelet, inside revealed to be a small picture of the four of them together, and was no longer the hyper and happy bee he'd, well...been. He'd been sitting on the couch in Vector's office silently for the past few hours, and it honestly made Vector all the more upset about the black and red hedgehog leaving them, this wasn't how Charmy was supposed to act.

"...Yeah?" He finally asked the small bee, walking over to him.

"...Did I do something wrong?" Charmy asked, looking over at him with tears in his eyes. This wasn't the first time Charmy had asked that question, and it certainly wouldn't be the last, though Vector assumed that was the only conclusion Charmy could think of as to why Clowy had left them...he just wasn't old enough to understand her true reasoning.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Vector said in a surprisingly soft tone, placing his hand on the bee's head. To see the hyperactive bee so sad for so long broke Vector's heart, even if he would never tell the boy that. "Clowy left because of S...because of something you're a little too young to understand." The crocodile stated in the same tone. He'd been about to say that it was Sonic that had caused Clowy to leave, but he knew fully well that telling Charmy that might cause the bee to try taking out his sadness on the blue hedgehog and that wouldn't end well for anyone.

"I wish..." Charmy began quietly, biting his lip softly. "I wish she'd never come here!" Charmy cried, trying to wipe away his flowing tears with the back of his hands. "If she'd never come...it wouldn't hurt that she left..." He sobbed, Vector sitting on the couch and picking the bee up, putting him on his lap and just letting him cry like he'd done since the whole incident that had made them all so sad. Despite what Charmy said, Vector knew he didn't truly wish Eclipse had never come to them and became Clowy but was rather too sad for his young self to know how to handle.

"You don't mean that..." The adult said quietly, which only caused the child to sob louder because he knew it was true. Vector understood how Charmy felt, despite her being older than him he had come to see Clowy as a daughter while she seemed to see him as a father-figure in turn. Still...neither of them was as bad as Espio, who had come to love the girl on a level that they simply couldn't. Espio hadn't moved from that spot in her room unless absolutely necessary, which wasn't all that often with them no longer doing jobs, and he seemed to be nearly starving and dehydrating himself as well.

"Clowy..." Charmy's sobs had faded to soft sniffles now, Vanilla the Rabbit entering the office.

"M-Miss Vanilla, what are you doing h-here?!" Vector stumbled over the words in a slight panic.

"My little Cream told me that someone important to you all left, so I thought I would help you console Charmy...though it seems you're doing quite well on your own." Vanilla smiled at Vector, who blushed slight as Charmy looked up at her and back at Vector.

"I'm going to go get a snack." Charmy stated suddenly, pulling away from Vector and grabbing a bag of rings to buy snacks, leaving. Vector sighed at the bee's sadness, wishing he could help him more.

"...Would you like to talk about how everyone is feeling?" Vanilla asked, drawing Vector's attention back to her. He didn't want to worry the kind rabbit but...he nodded sadly and Vanilla sat beside him, ready to listen.

"We haven't been doing too good...Clowy was-" Vector stopped suddenly, shaking his head. "Eclipse, was important to us in our own ways. Charmy saw her as a big sister, and she saw him as a little brother in turn, and is pretty distressed by her leaving us. Espio...poor Espio, he's completely heartbroken. I don't think he's ever had feelings for someone before, so it's even more devastating for him than if he had liked someone before her." He stated sadly.

"What about how she felt for him?" Vanilla asked kindly.

"I don't really know how she felt about him...she was often worried about one thing or another so she hid most of what she felt from us. She cared about him a lot though, I know that...when she thought Alexiss was dead he sat near her bed while she slept...the first night she was screaming and thrashing while she slept, calling out for us...slowly she stopped calling for me...than Charmy, but never Espio. He held her hand as she slept to keep her from panicking while she slept...even after she found out that Alexiss was alive I'd often open the door in the morning to see Espio sleeping while sitting at the side of her bed and his hand in hers." Vector was feeling a little better, letting all this out.

"And you?" Vanilla asked, the fellow looking at her. "How did you feel towards her?" She clarified.

"I guess...a daughter? Yeah...even though she's actually a lot older than me she was so cold and angry when she was Shadow that when she finally began to become who she was before she left, she acted a lot like a teenaged girl with too many responsibilities. Eclipse kept everything from us that she thought might upset us, and was constantly flickering between happy and upset. She looked to me for advice a lot, so I guess she saw me the same way..." Vector described, sighing. "It was kind of odd...I wasn't sure how I felt about Espio's feelings for her. But I know he's a good kid and would never hurt her, so if she comes back I suppose that's who I'd prefer...though I'd leave the choice to her, of course." The crocodile added. Vanilla nodded, understanding most of what he felt for Eclipse.

"I'm sure you will find her again. It seems to me that you were all very important to her, so she'll return to you eventually." Vanilla smiled reassuringly at the reptile, who blushed but smiled a bit back. The two fell into a comfortable silence as Vector went back to doing his work, Vanilla just sitting on the couch watching him encase he wanted to say anything else, when Knuckles stormed in with a determined look in his eyes.

"Knuckles?" Vector asked in confusion, why had the echidna left his emerald...it had to be rather important.

"Come on. It's important, bring Espio." Was all the echidna said before walking back out the door and waiting for the group. Charmy had just entered the building again and heard Knuckles, he and Vector looked at one another, a small feeling of hope before quickly going to get Espio.

Andrea sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time since picking up the painting she now held. Max had painted it for her and Alexiss, it was of Eclipse and Clowy side by side and reaching for the Green Chaos Emerald floating above at their head level as if about to use it for something. Max had painted it after finding a newspaper clippings with pictures of Eclipse at Tails' house from when she was missing, how or when Sonic and his friends had taken the pictures of the red and black hedgehog Andrea didn't know, and his memory of Clowy in hopes of making the princess and her knight happy again.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have painted that picture..." Came a voice from behind her, Andrea turning to see Max looking at her sadly.

"No, no! I...I simply miss her, not as much as I did Alexiss, but still..." The red princess tried to explain, not wanting the painting taken from her.

"Relax Andrea, I won't take the painting." Max assured her with a sad smile, Andrea giving a sigh of relief and smiling at him the same way.

"Where are the others?" Andrea asked the prince.

"Outside. Alaster's teaching Darius to fight, Alexiss is...helping." The devilhog explained, pausing near the end. 'Helping' in this case meant that Alexiss was staring at her brother and Alaster training with a blank look on her face and absolutely no idea what was going on in the world around her.

"Of course." Andrea sighed miserably, closing her eyes. Despite being able to speak again Darius had yet to say more than three words at a time, no one was really sure if he simply preferred that or had trouble speaking more than that. The doors to the 'throne room' burst open rather suddenly, startling the royalty within, Alexiss looking at them with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.

"T...'Tis Miss Rouge! She says...she says that the Sonic 'Eroes 'ave real important information for us!" Alexiss explained, gasping lightly. It wasn't that she'd run very far, but the thought of what Rouge may be implying had adrenaline rushing through Alexiss' veins. Without hesitation Andrea stood from her 'throne'.

"To the Sonic Heroes then." She agreed in a determined tone, nodding to her knight who began to smile widely.

Sonic was running again, dodging people and objects alike through Ring City. It wasn't like running was special at all when it came to Sonic, it just...seemed like since Eclipse left he couldn't stop running. Perhaps it was the lingering feeling of the possibility of seeing Shadow when he turned a corner and wanting to show his speed off, or perhaps he hoped that if he ran zigzagged laps through the city it would somehow bring Eclipse back. Andrea's group and the Chaotix alike had told him that Eclipse left because of him...because her backstory was something she believed he wouldn't understand no matter how much she explained it.

"...Maybe she's right." Sonic skidded to a stop as he sighed. He didn't have the greatest attention span when it came to listening to people and would much prefer to just run, and with all that had happened to her Sonic wasn't really surprised that she thought he'd never understand. But...he just wanted to know why she'd pretended to be a guy.

**Flashback. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" I demanded, feeling a little hurt that I hadn't been told something so important about my rival. Eclipse sighed.**

"**Like you'd have taken me seriously if I had told you the truth from the beginning, Faker." Eclipse pointed out, hissing the last word. "Yeah, I'm Shadow. Girl or guy I'm still the ultimate life form..." End of Flashback.**

_What did she mean, "Girl or guy I'm still the ultimate life form"...it's not like I think any less of her for being a girl. Sure I'm a little hurt...but she's still my rival either way, Shadow or Eclipse...why would her gender change anything?_ Sonic wondered as he stood in place. He eventually became annoyed with that train of thought, without her around he'd never get an answer anyway, and began to run again.

"Sonic!" Called the voice of Amy nearby, Sonic stopping. Sure, just a few months ago he would have been running for his life from the girl, but she'd kinda...grown on him a bit since she helped him look for Eclipse.

"Yo Amy." Sonic waved, not sounding nearly as enthusiastic as normal or able to smile or smirk. She ran up to him and she smiled, not trying to hug him at all. Since they'd gotten to know each other a bit better while looking for Eclipse the pink hedgehog had clued in that Sonic wouldn't mind being around her half as much if she stopped trying to 'death-hug' him.

"At Shadow's old house...Tails and Omega...they think they might have found a lead!" Amy exclaimed, smiling wider. Sonic's eyes widened and he blinked twice before smiling back at her.

"Then let's go check it out!" Sonic dashed around her for a moment, picking her up bridal-style since she couldn't run as fast as him and ran towards the old mini-mansion. Amy rested her head softly against his chest but made no other move, so Sonic saw no reason to move her or get angry at her as he ran towards his destination.

"Everyone is here." Tails said happily as the Chaotix entered, they were the furthest from the house at the time.

"Did you really find Clowy?!" Charmy asked hopefully, Espio's head snapping to look at him since the chameleon had been dragged there without being told what was going on.

"Well...the general area, yeah." Tails stated, pulling out a tablet computer and putting it on the table in front of everyone. "We're here." He began, circling Ring City with a quick finger stroke. "Now, from what Omega has been able to track, Eclipse should be somewhere in...here." Tails circled a forest that was several days away even by plain or Sonic running, it was right near the edge of the continent.

"That forest looks pretty big..." Vector pointed out hesitantly, as much as he wanted to find Clowy he didn't want to lose any of the other Chaotix members in that forest.

"We'll split into groups according to our teams, which gives us five teams with Amy going with Rouge and Omega or the other members of Andrea's group to make the teams even. If we do it like that we can split the forest into five parts and it won't be nearly as bad to search. Since Andrea's team doesn't like technology Alexiss can use a supersonic screech to signal Rouge if they find anything, so they'll have to be in areas close to one another." Tails laid out the entire plan for everyone, and they all agreed to head there as fast as they each could and begin the search for the black and red hedgehog once everyone was there.

"Hey Tails...how can Omega track her, she doesn't have a Chaos Emerald with her." Vector pointed out suddenly.

"Omega was created to stop 'Shadow' from being woken up, but it makes sense that just encase 'he' WAS woken up that Omega would be able to track the smaller amounts of Chaos Energy that 'he' leaves which the Chaos Emeralds can't. I've been flying around with him in my plane all this time trying to find a trace of her." Tails explained to the adult. Vector nodded, that did seem to make sense to him.

"It is late, so tonight we pack and sleep. Tomorrow, we head out to find her." Andrea stated, everyone now nodding in agreement. They left for their homes to do just as the red princess had said to.

* * *

><p>Since Sonic has known Amy for a while and has seen her strength, as well as his overall personality, he wouldn't be able to comprehend someone not being considered what they were made to be because of their gender and having to hide said gender. Cream and Big will only be mentioned in this story since I don't really have much reason to actually bring them in. Vanilla may come in a few more times though, obviously as Vector's love intrest and someone to talk to similar to in Sonic X. I came up with Omega's reasonings to be able to track the small amounts of Chaos Energy Eclipse releases on my own, but it seems pretty legit when you think about it considering his purpose. Hope you all like.<p> 


	24. A 'Little' Surprise

Wow, I've been writing these like mad lately. Not that you're all complaining, I'm sure. Alright, here's the next chapter.

* * *

><p>"Is everyone ready?" Tails asked once everyone had made it to the meeting place at the edge of the forest. Each person nodded as he looked at them, ready to find for the missing hedgehog and return her to Ring City. He pulled the tablet out from the X-Tornado to show where each group would take care of. "The Chaotix will take this area; we Team Sonic members will take here, Team Dark and Amy will take this part and Team...um..." Tails trailed off, looking at Andrea for the names of her and Max's teams.<p>

"Team Stone." Andrea said, pointing to herself and gesturing to Alexiss and Darius who both nodded. "And Team Hybrid." She added, gesturing to Max and Alaster. It was Tails' turn to nod, showing them the tablet.

"Team Stone will be here, beside Team Dark so they can inform them if Eclipse is found, and Team Hybrid the last area." He circled the two areas for them with his quick finger flick.

"Alright teams, we all have our assignments. Let us find that allusive hedgehog!" Andrea said confidently, everyone cheering in agreement. Vector stared at her for a moment, the girl had this way of speaking that gave you confidence and made you follow her orders...she truly as a born princess. Tails gave communication devices to everyone except Team Stone, each group going to their assigned portion of the forest.

"We shouldn't call out for her Sonic." Tails pointed out the moment that Sonic took a deep breath to do just that, the blue hedgehog looking at him in confusion. "She left. If she hears us calling for her she'll just run away again." The young fox pointed out, Sonic thinking for a moment before nodding in agreement. The three of them split up in hopes of finding the girl faster.

"Tails said you can track small amounts of Chaos Energy that Eclipse releases, right?" Amy asked Omega as she and the remaining members of Team Dark walked.

"Affirmative." Omega said simply.

"So then...how come you can't track her exact location?" The pink hedgehog wondered.

"Indistinct traces of Chaos Energy fill this woodland. I am unable to determine Eclipse the Hedgehog's precise location." The robot explained to her.

"Oh..." Amy sighed a little. After all, if she could find Eclipse that would make Sonic really happy and he might make his first real smile since the black and red hedgehog at the pink one. She squealed a little at the thought, her hands in front of her mouth and eyes closed as she turned her body oddly from side to side. Omega turned his vision on Rouge, who shrugged at him to show she didn't understand what was going on any more than he did before releasing a screech too high for Eclipse' ears to detect to see if she could find her with the sonar.

"Find...Eclipse...Princess?" Darius asked suddenly, drawing attention to himself.

"We can hope so Darius. Though I admit, I care not who finds her just as long as she is found." Andrea admitted, Darius smiling at her.

"Find...her." He assured her with a smile of childish innocence.

"I don't 'ear anythin' out of the ordinary for a forest your 'Ighness. We should probably go deeper in." Alexiss said suddenly, turning her head to the two. Andrea nodded and began to walk further in while followed by the two Phai children.

"May I ask...why are WE searching for this Miss Eclipse again? We hardly know her Max." Alaster pointed out as they walked.

"So you WANT Andrea and Alexiss sad forever then?" Max responded.

"...We must look harder!" Alaster insisted the moment that was said, Max chuckling a bit and shaking his head despite everything as they began to truly look for the missing hedgehog.

"Are you sure you want us to split up Vector?" Espio asked when Vector told them to do such. Vector pointed to the communication devices.

"If we find her we can let everyone know, they have tracking devices in them too. It will take less time that way." He pointed out. "Make sure not to fly Charmy, she'll hear your buzzing and might try to run away again." The adult added, the bee smiling at him.

"Yes sir!" Charmy said happily, saluting him before walking off in one direction. Espio said nothing as he walked off in another and Vector walked off in the remaining direction.

Espio looked from one side to the other as he walked; a little disturbed by the trees he was beginning to walk by. Many of them had burn-like marks in them and as he continued more and more had fallen over. It was when he reached a place in the forest filled only with stumps that he stopped. Lying there, in the middle of the stumped clearing, was none other than Eclipse. She hadn't changed much beyond several rips in her clothing and the headband she normally wore under her goggles was gone. For a horrifying moment Espio thought she was dead, but noticed her chest raising and falling with each soft breath. The chameleon found himself take a slow step towards her, continuing to walk while each step became faster until he was running once he reached her and skid slightly as he crouched to see her better. The sound seemed to draw Eclipse back to the real world, her eyes fluttering open. He was a little taken aback when she began to chuckle darkly when she saw him.

"Hallucinating again...even with all my personality changes I still have some mental instability anyway..." She continued her chuckle, pushing herself up slowly and but never taking her eyes away from the chameleon in fear that if she did he'd disappear. "I'm sorry I left, not that you can really hear me...but I've been seeing you a lot around lately. At first I thought you and the others had found me, but I quickly realised that I was just imagining things." The hedgehog explained with another dark chuckle. "Because, of course...you'd never come looking for me after leaving you like that." She was now smiling sadly.

"But Cl...Eclipse, I did come to find you..." Espio tried to convince her. She went back to chuckling again.

"Same thing, again and again...I've been gone for months, so this can't be a vision...I just keep hoping you come to find me and take me home..." Eclipse placed her hand on his cheek slowly, running her thumb down his muzzle. "Who thought hallucinations could feel so real?" She murmured, her eyes half-lidded.

"E-Eclipse..." Espio wanted to tell her that he was real again, but he doubted she'd believe him. It seemed some of her instability as Shadow had returned with her being away from everyone for so long...what she thought was months, so she must have lost track of time in this forest.

"I always attack my hallucinations of you...did you know that?" Eclipse whispered, Espio shaking his head. "That's why this place is so torn up...I always get so upset because you're not real..." She added, staring into his eyes. "Is it wrong to feel hope that you're real despite knowing you're not?" The hedgehog asked him softly.

"It's not wrong Eclipse." Espio assured her immediately, putting his hand over the one on his face. "And I am-" He was cut off by the girl placing her pointer finger of her other hand over his lips.

"Don't say it...I don't want you to disappear yet..." She insisted in the same soft voice, Espio finding himself nodding despite himself. "I haven't been exactly alone out here...but I can't tell you if my attacking you so much killed her or not." Eclipse said, looking a little sad. "She was Charmy's age...a little caterpillar girl named Aahlaad, she's lived in this forest since she can remember and can't recall ever having anyone else around before me." The hedgehog explained to the chameleon. "She reminded me so much of Charmy...so hyper and happy even without having any real family that I started to take care of her...but then I started to miss you and the others and I started to see you all, though you appeared the most, and I attacked the hallucinations relentlessly."

"I'm...I'm sure she's fine..." Espio said, not wanting Eclipse to feel guilty about killing someone she may not have even killed.

"Of course you'd say that..." Said hedgehog chuckled again, closing her eyes. She opened them again and Espio noticed that they seemed...foggy. Was it possible that she was seeing a hallucination despite him actually being here? If that was the case...was she even seeing him at all? She hadn't said his name after all...

"Eclipse, I..." He trailed off as she placed her finger on his lips again. Eclipse placed her forehead against his so that their breath mingled with her eyes again half-lidded.

"If this is a hallucination...I don't want to return to reality this time..." She whispered truthfully. Espio's eyes widened as Eclipse moved her mouth forward until she was kissing him, freezing for a moment. Despite feeling a bit like he was taking advantage of her he felt he had to kiss back, because this could very well be his only chance. He kissed her hesitantly for as long as she let him before pulling away with a sad smile and placing her head against his chest, closing her eyes. "Just let me sleep, just for a minute..." She said softly, placing her hand on his chest beside her head before clenching it softly. "Please don't leave me...I know you're a hallucination, but please still be here when I wake up..." Eclipse begged, her breath catching softly as she tried not to cry at the image she'd painted in her mind.

"I will." Espio said immediately. "I promise I'll be here." He added. Eclipse smiled at him before relaxing against his chest, her breath soon becoming soft in her sleep. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a good few minutes before contacting the others. "I found her...I found Eclipse." He said softly, still in disbelief of that had just happened.

"We'll be right there." Tails said, and the communicator fell silent as everyone headed towards the two.

"Espio! Did you really-" Charmy buzzed into the clearing at top speed from behind the chameleon, stopping as Espio turned towards him and showed him a glimpse of the sleeping hedgehog in his arms. Charmy's eyes lit up and he was about to fly to them when Espio put his finger to his lips in a motion to keep quiet, so the young bee quickly landed and ran carefully to them. "It's really her..." He whispered, biting his lip to stop from crying with joy in fear of waking the sleeping hedgehog. Vector stormed through the clearing in front of them both and immediately saw the scene, walking slowly towards them in the same disbelief Espio still felt.

"Clowy..." Again Vector shook his head. "No...Eclipse...we're finally together again..." The adult said, everyone noticing how Eclipse's small smile grew a little bit at the words and she seemed to move a little closer to Espio. Espio carefully moved the hedgehog so that she was bridal-style in his arms with her head still against his chest, Charmy picking up the duffle bag that the chameleon hadn't noticed nearby. He was about to start walking to the edge of the forest with the others when he heard a voice.

"Stop right there!" Demanded the voice of a small child, the Chaotix turning to see a young caterpillar girl. She was indeed Charmy's age, yellow with black and white stripes with black arms and muzzle as well as purple eyes. Her antenna were hidden in her twin pigtailed black hair which reached her waist, her bangs parted in the middle and going down to her muzzle. Her entire outfit was a dirty brown, so much so that it was hard to tell if it was naturally that colour or if it had once been white. Said outfit consisted of brown gloves with two brown rings at the wrist, a loose sleeveless brown dress that reached her knees and simple brown shoes.

_Aahlaad. _Espio realised, suddenly feeling bad for taking Eclipse away from the girl who had come to depend on her so heavily.

"Who are you?" Charmy asked her.

"I'm Aahlaad. And what do you think you're doing with Eclipse?!" The girl again demanded.

"Listen kid, she's an old friend of ours. We're taking her home." Vector explained to her. Aahlaad's eyes narrowed.

"You're going to take her back to that blue hedgehog, aren't you?! You're just going to make her upset again, put her down!" The caterpillar cried, Eclipse shifting slightly in Espio's arms and her smile fading. For a moment he feared she had woken up before the others had arrived, but after a moment of silence he was glad to see she was still asleep.

"Aahlaad...we aren't going to take her to the 'blue hedgehog' if she doesn't want us to. We miss her, we just want her back home..." Espio tried to explain to the girl, who suddenly looked away.

"So...I'm going to be left all alone again...?" She asked softly, a stark contrast to her loud and demanding voice a moment ago.

"What's she talking about Espio?" Vector asked.

"Eclipse has been taking care of this girl since she came here... Aahlaad has no family." Espio explained softly. Vector's eyes widened before he looked at the girl. Perhaps it was being around Eclipse so long that had made him so, but he couldn't bring himself to leave the girl all alone at her age in a forest like this.

"You can come with, if you want. I'm sure Charmy would love a playmate...right Charmy?" The adult asked.

"As long as Clowy..." He did the same thing as Vector, shaking his head when he said her name wrong. "As long as Eclipse comes home I don't care. But if it would make her happier to have you along than sure." Charmy smiled at the fellow insect, who looked like she hadn't actually expected him to agree. But after a moment she too smiled.

"Thank you...thank you so much." She said kindly, walking with them to the edge of the forest.

"Where do we plan to take Eclipse to?" Andrea asked suddenly, everyone now at the edge of the forest again. Sonic, unsurprisingly, was glaring at Espio in jealousy for carrying the black and red hedgehog.

"We'll take her back to the Chaotix Head Quarters. That was where she was living before all this, and she might panic more if she wakes up anywhere else." Vector pointed out. After some quiet discussion it was agreed that Eclipse would be taken back to the Chaotix Head Quarters as Vector suggested and the Chaotix would call everyone once she woke up, Tails saying that though he didn't know much about biology or anything he suspected that she'd used a lot of energy and wouldn't wake up for at least a week. With that agreed on everyone began the long trek home, their mission successful.

* * *

><p>Now for the answer to the question I'm sure all of you are asking. "Who was Eclipse hallucinating about, and who did she think she kissed?" Well...I'm not going to tell you that! Mwahahahahahahahaha! "Why", you ask? Simple, because I'm evil like that :D! Also because it's 7:30am and I haven't slept since like 12pm yesterday. Hope you all liked this chapter, and sorry I brought in another oc. See ya all soon!<p> 


	25. Reunion and a Challange

I put a poll on my bio asking who you thought Eclipse was hallucinating, answer if you want. There's not much more to say, so here you go everyone.

* * *

><p>As Espio sat beside Eclipse's bed eating he thought about how Tails' theory that said hedgehog would be asleep for a week or more was indeed true, not that he really minded sitting beside bed and waiting for her to wake up. He'd had plenty of time to think about the kiss they'd shared, and he had decided that he'd tell her his feelings once she was awake with the hope that she was hallucinating about him. It was a soft groan from the bed that drew Espio's attention instantly from his food to the bed, putting his food down and standing so she'd see him when she awoke as he promised. Her eyes opened and he was happy, until he noticed they were still foggy.<p>

"...Eclipse?" He asked her softly as her foggy eyes fell on him, hoping that they were simply foggy because she was just waking up. However the still sad smile that slowly appeared on her face proved his hopes untrue.

"You're still here..." Eclipse whispered, looking a little amazed despite her sad smile.

"...I promised, didn't I?" The chameleon asked, looking away from her in disappointment that she wasn't herself. She chuckled darkly, a sound which Espio had come to find he disliked.

"Yeah...you did..." She agreed after a moment. She closed her eyes for several moments before opening them again, foggy looking into clear. "I've decided." She stated suddenly.

"Decided what?" Espio asked, looking at her again. She closed her eyes and smiled at him, yet it only seemed all the sadder.

"I've decided to sleep forever." She explained, Espio's eyes widening in horror at the statement. "I don't want to return to reality anymore, I want to stay with you forever." She added, her hand moving to his cheek again as she sat up. Espio clasped her hand in his.

"You can't do that Eclipse!" He exclaimed, Eclipse looking at him in confusion.

"Don't you want me to stay with you forever?" She asked him, looking a little hurt that her hallucination no longer seemed to want her around.

"No." Espio stated immediately, Eclipse's eyes widened before looking away from him, biting her lip and trying to pull her hand away. Espio caught it again before she could move it back to herself. "I don't want you to stay like this forever, to sleep forever Eclipse. You're not in the forest anymore, you're with the Chaotix. Wake UP Eclipse, you're home!" He insisted. Eclipse snarled, ripping her hand from his and using them to hold her ears to her skull.

"No! Don't say that, don't leave me!" She cried, Espio pulling her hands away and holding them in his own. He felt a burst of courage and kissed her and putting all of his emotions into it. She stared at him with wide, foggy eyes when he pulled away.

"Please Eclipse...wake up." He said softly in her ear before pulling away. She stared at him before her eyes slowly began to become less foggy, eventually the hedgehog blinking in clear confusion.

"W-what?! I-I thought I was..." Eclipse exclaimed, looking around frantically in misunderstanding.

"You're home." Espio stated with a small smile, Eclipse's bottom lip beginning to tremble.

"You're...you're really here, Espio? I'm really home?" She asked hopefully.

"Of course. We'd never stop looking for you if given the chance." He stated, taken aback when the black and red hedgehog sprang from the bed and wrapped her arms around him.

"You're real...I'm really home..." She sobbed happily, burying her face in his chest like the last time he'd seen her cry. He held her tightly against him, never wanting to let her go after losing her like that.

"Hey Espio, we heard some ruckus. What's going...on?" Vector stopped in the doorway with wide eyes, Charmy and Aahlaad peeking around him to see what was going on.

"Eclipse!" They both exclaimed, the two children dashing to her. She looked up and pulled away from Espio just in time to catch the children.

"Charmy! Aahlaad! I was so worried about you!" Eclipse stated, as she held them with all three of them crying. Espio reached out slightly, ready to tell his feelings...but he sighed and shook his head, pulling his hand back to his side. Vector watched this and felt back for the chameleon. It took a good few minutes before Eclipse and the kids were done their loving reunion, the hedgehog finally turning to the adult. She was sniffling a bit, and trying to wipe the tears from under her eyes.

"...What, I don't get a hug too?" Vector asked. Similar to Espio she sprang into his arms, hugging him around the middle.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." She said over and over, Vector softly assuring her that all that mattered was that she was back. "I promise I'll never leave again!" She eventually sniffled, Vector smiling down at her like a loving father and saying that was all he wanted to hear.

"...Oh, Knuckles!" Charmy stated suddenly, buzzing happily around like his hyper self. Everyone looked at him for an explanation. "Knuckles will be angry if we don't call Tails and tell him that Eclipse is awake." The bee reminded the Chaotix, who nodded. "I'll go call." Charmy left to call everyone, Aahlaad smiling at Eclipse before running after him.

"I'll go make sure they don't forget anyone." Vector said suddenly, leaving Eclipse and Espio alone.

"...I missed you." The boy stated suddenly, not looking at the hedgehog. She laughed softly, a much nicer sound than her dark chuckle.

"You look so embarrassed saying that Espio." She laughed, Espio huffing but blushing. He knew what Vector was trying to do, but...her waking up and still hallucinating as well as the kiss had drained his courage.

"You...You won't leave us again, right?" He asked softly, Eclipse's laughter stopping.

"No, I won't be leaving again." She assured him, the chameleon smiling at her slightly.

"Espio, we need to talk." The voice of Sonic brought Espio's attention from Eclipse and her cheerful talk with her friends.

"You haven't asked her any questions about why she left or her past...I'm surprised." The purple ninja admitted, looking at the blue hedgehog. Sonic was glaring at him again, leading him outside.

"You. Me. Old warehouse near Andrea's tower, 7am tomorrow. We fight for who deserves Eclipse." Sonic demanded. It was Espio's turn to narrow his eyes; he should have known Sonic wouldn't give up without a fight.

"...You're on Sonic." Espio agreed, determined to prove that he was just as worthy of Eclipse as Sonic if not more.

"Where have you been Espio?" Eclipse asked when he entered the headquarters again, looking a little upset with his sudden disappearance.

"Just seeing Sonic out." He responded simply.

"Sonic? But...he didn't even say hello to me..." Eclipse pointed out, clearly confused.

"He seemed rather conflicted. He probably didn't want to disturb your time with your friends." Espio lied, Eclipse looking thoughtful.

"I guess...that's actually really thoughtful of him." She stated, smiling. "Maybe there's hope for the Faker yet." She added. The smile for Sonic made Espio all the more determined to win the fight the next day.

* * *

><p>You kinda have to feel for Espio, ya know? I mean he did kiss Eclipse to snap her back to reality, so he'd probably become pretty nervous after that. I was considering not having Sonic and Espio fight, but like Espio thought; "Sonic wouldn't give up without a fight", it just isn't in his personality. So next chapter will be them fighting plus some more stuff with luck. Hope you all like, see ya soon! <strong>P.S. For those who are wondering the scene where Eclipse asked Espio if he's really 'here' is just her being sure that she isn't still hallucination, since she'd almost always return to reality if they said they were real and they weren't. <strong>


	26. Fight for Affection

And here's the chapter you've all been waiting for, the fight between Espio and Sonic! The prize? Eclipse the Hedgehog of course!

* * *

><p>"Hey...has anyone seen Espio?" Eclipse yawned as she walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She was still dressed as Clowy, she had said she preferred it because it made her look more like her own person rather than the female Shadow she was. Around the table, unsurprisingly, was every Chaotix member with the exception of the one she was looking for. Aahlaad looked up at her from beside Charmy, eating a banana.<p>

"He left early this morning...said he had something important to do." Vector explained to the hedgehog. Eclipse frowned unhappily, having hoped that the apparently 'missing' chameleon would be around to give her back her Chaos Emerald that she'd left with him. "Something wrong?" The crocodile asked suddenly, causing Eclipse to return from her thoughts.

"Yeah...I wanted my Chaos Emerald back." The hedgehog stated with a sigh, sitting at the table and grabbing some cereal. "I feel kind of uncomfortable without one." She admitted with a small, sheepish smile.

"We'll help you find it." Aahlaad and Charmy stated, looking at the other and smiling widely before looking back at Eclipse. She laughed softly at the two children.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you two grew up together." She smiled at them, the children smiling back all the brighter. "But it's fine, I'll go out and look for it on my own. Now that I'm home again I'm sure the Chaotix will be taking jobs again so this might be your last time to play all day together for a while." The hedgehog pointed out, the bee and caterpillar looking at each other before dashing off to play without a word. "I shouldn't be gone long." The girl assured Vector when she noticed him looking at her uncertainly.

"Alright...just be careful, I don't think any of us could take you leaving again." The adult warned, Eclipse nodding and leaving.

"I swear I've looked around this entire city and haven't seen horn nor tail of that chameleon." Eclipse growled as she walked through the streets of Ring City, annoyed. She didn't want to ask for help finding Espio, everyone would ask why and she didn't want to admit her almost need to have a Chaos Emerald in her possession to feel comfortable again.

"Miss Eclipse!" Eclipse turned sharply upon hearing her name, seeing the smiling Alexiss with the rest of Andrea's group. Eclipse found herself smiling despite her annoyance with Espio and waving at the group.

"What brings you out here Eclipse?" Max asked curiously, he hadn't thought the Chaotix would let her out alone so soon after she awoke.

"...Looking for Espio." The hedgehog admitted with a sigh.

"Mr. Espio? I swore I saw 'im earlier..." Alexis closed her eyes, crossing her arms and tapping her foot in thought with one of her ears pressed against her skull while the other was in its usual position.

"Sissy." Darius said suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Chameleon...hero...warehouse..." He stated. Eclipse looked at the group for an explanation before a look of realisation appeared on Alexiss' face.

"That's right!" She exclaimed suddenly, everyone now looking at her. "Mr. Espio was 'eaded towards the old ware'ouse early this mornin'. I saw Mr. Sonic 'eaded in the same direction a little bit before that." The fox-hybrid explained.

"Old warehouse?" Eclipse asked, looking confused. She'd been around Ring City a lot, but had never heard of any old warehouses.

"The old warehouse is right near the tower. Alexiss and I can take you there, correct Alexiss?" Andrea said, looking at her knight.

"Of course Princess Andrea." Alexiss agreed, Andrea nodding.

"In that case, we will meet you three at home shortly." The red princess said to the others of her group.

"Right. See you soon." Max left with Alaster and Darius close behind him, not worried about the girls in the slightest.

"Follow us Miss Eclipse." Alexiss said, heading towards the warehouse.

The three girls entered the old warehouse to find broken glass and boxes all over the ground, but the blue hedgehog and purple chameleon seemed to be nowhere in sight. A sudden sound of people clashing against one another from above caused them to look up, seeing Espio and Sonic jump from railings at one another with no hesitation. The two males hit one another before jumping back to their previous position, breathing just a bit harder.

"What are you two doing?!" Demanded Eclipse, the two looking down at her. "Stop this at once!"

"Don't interfere Eclipse." Sonic stated simply, looking at Espio again.

"I'm afraid this is very important. I'm sorry." Espio agreed despite it clear that Eclipse didn't want them fighting, looking back at Sonic. They were anything but evenly matched with Sonic's speed, but it seemed that Espio was managing to keep up with the blue hedgehog's attacks somehow, both of them about as beat up as the other. There were no weapons or Chaos Emeralds with either of them, not that Espio could use the latter or Sonic ever used the earlier, the fight was just their strength and skill against one another.

"What is the cause of this fighting?" Andrea asked as the boys clashed in the air again, both of them ignoring her.

"I recognise this style of fightin'." Alexiss said suddenly, Andrea and Eclipse looking at her. "It 'appened a lot back 'ome. They're fightin' to see who is more worthy of a potential mate." She stated, the hedgehog and hybrid blinking and turning back to the fight.

"...You are right Alexiss." Andrea agreed after several moments, seeing how similar it was. It was a style of courting that wasn't often used in the modern world except in old-fashioned places like Dunstan Kingdom had been, it was used to prove who was worthy for the potential mate as well as try and impress them. It didn't take a detective to know that they were fighting over the very hedgehog that was trying to stop said fighting.

"Both of you stop! Whoever this...potential mate is, I'm sure they wouldn't want you beating each other senseless!" Eclipse called up to the fighters, who again ignored their audience as they clashed and jumped back with Sonic rubbing the side of his head a bit.

_Wait a moment...does Eclipse truly not know who Sonic and Espio are fighting over? _Andrea wondered in disbelief, looking at her knight to see the fellow hybrid shrug. Another clash and the fighters returned to the railing, Espio looking at his left hand. He tried to move it, however it refused to move for him.

"I will not give up so easily." He assured Sonic, who smirked at him.

"I'm glad, it'd hardly be a fight if you gave up so soon." The blue hedgehog stated, despite them having been fighting for a good hour or more. Again and again they jumped at one another, every blow dealt received with another the next jump. It was ruthless and painful, but the two refused to give up no matter the damage they took on, each determined to win the fight and prove they were more worthy of Eclipse.

"Why do they insist on fighting each other?" Eclipse whispered, refusing to look at the battle.

"Per'aps because of 'ow powerful the one they wish for their mate is." Alexiss suggested, Andrea nodding as this made quite a bit of sense.

"It is likely that their instincts kicked in because of how powerful their potential mate is and those instincts told them to fight, to prove themselves better than the other for that person." The princess agreed. Eclipse looked at them, her eyes slightly wide.

"You mean you know who they're fighting over?" She asked in shock. The princess and knight looked at one another, sighing.

"Come now Miss Eclipse...ya know who they're fightin' over as well." Alexiss stated. "There's no way someone who works as a detective couldn't know." She added. _Not to mention 'ow obvious Mr. Espio's feelin's are for ya. _

"I do?" Eclipse questioned.

"Think." Andrea said simply. And so Eclipse did. She thought back, back to before she left which seemed like years ago to her mind. And then...she knew, her eyes widening greatly. She turned sharply back to the fight, only to see Sonic kick Espio towards her.

"Eclipse! Look out!" The hedgehog called, not meaning to kick his rival for the black and red hedgehog's affection at said hedgehog. For a moment Eclipse was unsure what to do. However that moment passed quickly and she braced herself, catching the wounded chameleon. Sonic landed on the ground, falling to his knees from the wounds on his legs from his fighting, before standing and dashing towards the two.

"Don't come any closer!" Eclipse snapped, her inhibitor rings snapping off and a barrage of Chaos Bolts stopping the other hedgehog in his tracks. He stood there for several moments, watching her return the rings to her wrists and carefully picking up the unconscious chameleon.

"E...Eclipse?" Sonic asked softly. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"That's enough fighting, Faker." She stated, leaving with Espio held carefully in her arms. Sonic watched after her...despite winning the fight he had a sinking feeling he'd lost Eclipse.

* * *

><p>I've read a lot of old stories about kingdoms and such where males fight to prove their worthiness to a girl, but it seemed to not be used much anymore...I wonder why? Maybe because, like Eclipse, the girl didn't like the guys hurting one another over them? I was planning on writing this huge, epic fight scene between the two...then I remembered I'm not actually all that good at fight scenes, I kinda like this better anyway though. Hope you all enjoyed, read and review!<p> 


	27. Heals and Kisses

Sorry this is up so late, I decided not to stay up until ungodly times in the morning to write. Here's the next chapter, hope you like.

* * *

><p>Hours felt like weeks to Eclipse as she sat on a chair at Espio's bedside, waiting for him to awaken. It was the dead of night and the hedgehog was slowly falling asleep in her chair when a groan from the bed made her snap awake, staring at the chameleon. His eyes slowly opened and fell on the staring girl, whom he immediately looked away from.<p>

"I'm glad you're awake, I was beginning to worry." Eclipse admitted, Espio finding himself looking at her despite losing the battle.

_Perhaps we can still be...friends..._ The thought hurt the purple ninja much more than he thought it would, but he would do anything for the black and red hedgehog. "...How long was I out?" Espio asked after a few moments of silence. Eclipse smiled sheepishly.

"I have no idea." She stated, Espio looking at her oddly. "I seem to have lost my sense of time since I returned from the forest." She added, the chameleon nodding in understanding. "Anyway, let's see what we can do about those wounds." Espio pulled away from her approaching hand, causing the smiling hedgehog to frown and cross her arms in an eerily familiar way. "Espio..." She warned in a low growl.

"I...I lost the fight..." The chameleon reminded her sadly, no longer looking at the hedgehog. Eclipse huffed, moving his face so that he was looking straight at her once more.

"Yeah, I know. Who do you think that Faker kicked you at, though unintentionally I'm certain considering why the two of you were fighting to begin with?" The black and red hedgehog pointed out, Espio trying to move his head again but Eclipse's hand holding his chin stopped him from doing so. "I don't care about some stupid fight Espio." She added, pulling away sharply when he looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"You...you don't?" He asked with the same hope that was in his eyes.

"O-of course not." Eclipse stated, blushing slightly at the look in his eyes. After a moment she snapped off her inhibitor rings and placed them on the bed, putting her hands on Espio's stomach.

"Eclipse?" He asked, worried what hedgehog may be planning to do.

"I had to watch you heal for one set of horrible wounds, I'm not doing it again." The girl explained, closing her eyes. Chaos energy surrounded her for a moment, the colours mixed like a rainbow, before there was a near blinding flash. When the flash had finished, Espio slowly opened his eyes to see himself in the same condition he was in before the fight and a slightly panting hedgehog.

"Are you alright?!" The chameleon questioned in slight panic when the hedgehog swayed slightly.

"Fine, fine...just...a little tired..." Eclipse yawned as she grabbed her rings and snapped them back onto her wrists, rubbing her eyes. Without much thought Espio pulled Eclipse onto the bed, moving the blankets so that they covered the both of them. The bed was somewhat small, but with Espio having his arms wrapped around Eclipse and her pressed into him there was enough room for them both.

"Sleep." The chameleon whispered into the hedgehog's sleepily drooping ears. "I will be here when you wake up." He assured her softly, Eclipse looking up at him for a few moments before smiling and closing her eyes. It took only a few more moments before her breathing became soft with sleep.

Early in the morning Vector quietly entered the room, wanting to tell Eclipse that he was going to take the children with him on a small case since Aahlaad wanted to learn to be a detective. He was confused upon seeing the chair the hedgehog had occupied since placing Espio in the bed empty, however a few silent steps towards the bed and he found the 'missing' hedgehog asleep in Espio's arms. Though now a little shocked, Vector soon smiled at the two in a fatherly way before leaving the room; deciding to just leave the two a note.

Eclipse awoke first out of the two in the early afternoon, yawning and not wanting to get up. She froze when she heard a heartbeat against her ear, her eyes cautiously opening. However she calmed again when she realised that the heartbeat belonged to Espio, the still sleeping chameleon having a small smile on his face. The hedgehog had only been awake once before when he was asleep, and that had only been to find him sleeping on her bed after she disappeared for a walk before they had really become close, seeing him sleeping with that smile was much nicer. The purple ninja was still holding her, keeping her from getting up...so as much as she didn't want to, Eclipse knew she had to wake him up.

"Espio...Espio, wake up..." The girl said softly, shaking him slightly. His sleep-hazed eyes opened slowly, looking sleepily at Eclipse for several moments. He leaned forward suddenly, kissing her on the lips. The hedgehog's eyes widened and, unsure how to react, she disappeared in a flash of green light. The flash woke Espio up entirely, and he stared at where the one he loved had been. He clenched his fists and refused to get up...it seemed he'd ruined any chance with the hedgehog.

* * *

><p>To be completely honest I'd react the same way as Eclipse, even if I liked the guy...so perhaps there's hope yet for our favourite little ninja. Read and review, k?<p> 


	28. A Brother or Lover

Here's the chapter that explains who Eclipse was hallucinating about, yay!

* * *

><p>Eclipse walked atop the rooftops of Ring City, deeply engrossed in her thought. Espio had outright kissed her when he woke up...perhaps he had thought it was a dream, but it was a little awkward nonetheless for the black and red hedgehog. Eclipse was so absorbed that she stepped off a roof and only landed out of pure luck, feeling unusually heavy. Eclipse looked at herself to find her armour up...it seemed that she had been somehow touching the Chaos Emerald when Espio kissed her and used it to Chaos Control and put up her Chaos Armour. Looking up with a sigh she jolted back slightly upon seeing Omega staring at her.<p>

"Oh, uh...hi Omega." Shadow greeted, waving slightly.

"Danger?" Omega questioned, Shadow looking at him oddly before remembering that he had 'his' armour up.

"No, no danger. I just...kinda panicked I suppose." Shadow admitted, squatting on his toes to take some of the strain off the hedgehog's feet.

"What is the problem?" Omega asked, despite not being good with emotions that didn't mean he wanted his 'friend' to be upset. Shadow crossed his arms and pouted at the robot.

"I'm complicated...besides, you wouldn't understand Omega." Shadow stated simply, looking away from him as if to find a way out of trying to explain anything to the robot.

"...If I will not understand, why not exchange to Rouge?" The large robot pointed out, Shadow looking at him with slight surprise.

"That's actually...perfect, thanks Omega." With that Shadow dashed off towards the bat's house, not caring to be seen despite most thinking Shadow was still missing.

"Why didn't you just Chaos Control here?" Rouge asked as she sat on her couch, Eclipse sitting on another and taking a sip of juice.

"I...honestly, I don't know." The hedgehog admitted, Rouge sighing and shaking her head.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" The thief asked her friend.

"Well...it's a long story..." Eclipse admitted.

"That's fine, I don't have anything to do today. Even I'm not going to attack the echidna while he's wounded from Andrea's group." Rouge stated offhandedly, waving her hand slightly to show that it didn't matter either way.

"Well...it's about Espio..." Eclipse began, Rouge's eyebrow lifting in mild amusement; the last thing she'd expected was a talk about men. "He was a brother, before I left...I mean, I knew he felt more for me, but I didn't feel like that for him. While I was in that forest...after a while I began to hallucinate, I saw everyone...but Espio the most. Eventually I began to see him in a different light...I started seeing him as a..." Eclipse stopped, trying to remember what Andrea and Alexiss had called her to Espio and Sonic.

"A potential mate?" Rouge suggested, Eclipse nodding.

"Yeah...a potential mate. But when I came back I began seeing him as...both. And I'm not sure which one I want..." The hedgehog admitted, Rouge now nodding in understanding.

"So a part of you sees him as a potential mate, while the other sees him as a brother." She clarified. The hedgehog nodded again. "That's simple then. Listen to the part that's bigger." Rouge smiled. Eclipse blinked, thought for a moment then smiled back. She placed her cup down and pulled out her Chaos Emerald from under her skirt.

"Thanks Rouge." She said happily, disappearing with the customary Chaos Control flash.

"Hope things work out for you, either way." Rouge stated to the thin air, going to one of her gem filled rooms to polish them.

* * *

><p>Sorry this is so short, I didn't want to write the scene with her at the Chaotix again since it would probably be way too long then. <strong>P.S. After a friend found Eclipse the Hedgehog (both versions) and I told her I wrote it, she asked me to make a story about Sonic and Knuckles with Knuckles a female. I just posted the first chapter of that story, with it being called For an Emerald. If you like this check it out too, k? <strong>See ya!


	29. KISSING

Here is the long awaited 29th chapter of Eclipse the Hedgehog! Hope everyone likes it! Read and Review, k?

* * *

><p>Espio had yet to move from his bed since he 'messed things up' with Eclipse, curled into an unhappy loose ball under his covers. He was certain that he had made things too awkward between himself and the black and red hedgehog, so she was certain to leave the Chaotix again and move in with either Andrea's group or Rouge. The chameleon didn't dare turn to look at the door to his room when it opened, not wanting to hope it was the girl he'd messed up with.<p>

"You're still in bed? Wake up you laze chameleon." Eclipse scolded Espio playfully, causing him to bolt into a sitting position and stare at her with wide eyes.

"E-Eclipse?!" He asked in shock, having expected her not to return unless for her belongings. Yet in her hands was a trey with two bowls of porridge and glasses of milk, clearly for the two of them.

"Vector took Charmy and Aahlaad on a short case earlier this morning...he said in the note that he'd call if they were going to be late for dinner." She felt the need to explain, sitting on the bed and holding the trey out for Espio to take a bowl. The purple ninja did as silently told and began to silently eat, staring at the hedgehog and trying to figure her out. "Oh, um...I'm sorry about disappearing earlier. I wasn't expecting it and just sorta...panicked." The black and red skater apologised, Espio staring at her with wide and confused eyes.

"You...you don't have to apologise, I should be the one doing that. I shouldn't have done that to begin with." The chameleon pointed out, looking away from the hedgehog again with a blush. Though she'd probably never admit it to anyone except perhaps the chameleon himself, Eclipse thought he looked rather adorable all flustered like he was.

"Don't worry about it." The hedgehog said, waving her hand like she'd seen Rouge to earlier to show it didn't matter. Espio was staring at her with wide eyes again. Now it was the skater's turn to be flustered, looking away from him and blushing. "To be honest...I kinda liked it..." She admitted softly, looking at the purple ninja to make sure he didn't pass out or something. "I was really confused earlier...I mean, I saw you as both a brother and more..." She added, as if to help explain the way she'd treated him.

"Eclipse..." Espio said softly, Eclipse blushing heavily from her little speech.

"You know, you seem to have an odd obsession with saying my name whenever you don't seem to know what else to say..." She said suddenly, desperately trying to change the subject and save her remaining sanity.

"...Who were you hallucinating about in that forest?" The purple ninja asked after several awkward moments, only making the situation seem all the more awkward.

"W-what?! I...I never told you about that, how did you know?!" Eclipse demanded, blushing even more and attempting to look angry with him but failing thanks to said blush.

"When I found you...you were hallucinating about someone...I was talking to you, but you were hearing my voice and words from your hallucination...when you woke up here too..." Espio explained softly, blushing himself at the memory. If the hedgehog could she would have blushed even deeper, remembering kissing her hallucination in the forest.

"I...I saw..." The skater stumbled over the words, not wanting to admit it to him but knowing he had the right. "...you..." Espio's eyes widened again before he gave a small but happy smile, pulling her into a hug and forgetting the now spilt oatmeal and milk.

"You kissed me in the forest while hallucinating." Espio stated, loving the way that Eclipse looking away with the blush on her tan muzzle. "Could I perhaps have another...now?" He whispered in her ear hopefully, making the hedgehog tremble a bit. She bit her lip slightly as she looked up at him, unmoving for several moments of thought before nodding and kissing him. The kiss between the two was soft but caring and lasted what seemed like an eternity to the both of them...it was cut off rather abruptly though, by the sound of laughing children.

"Well, certainly didn't expect to see this when we came up to tell you we were home." Vector laughed heartily at the deep blush that covered the couple's muzzles.

"Eclipse and Espio, sitting in a tree!" Charmy began, Aahlaad laughing and smiling widely.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage..." The caterpillar continued before both children finished the well-known playful song.

"...then comes baby in a baby carriage!" The two children doubled over laughing at the hot blushes on the face of the two they were making fun of. Eclipse narrowed her eyes at the children, not liking to be taunted.

"Keep that up and no dinner for you." She hissed, the two insects stopping their laughter immediately with wide and fearful eyes. Vector was now the one laughing, though much quieter so as not to provoke the hedgehog, because he knew that Eclipse could never hold her threat when it came to the two children.

"About time." Vector said simply, smiling at the two in approval.

"What about you and Miss Vanilla?" Eclipse pointed out, smirking at the blush on the adult's face at her words. With that said it was unlikely that the two would be picked on now, the proud hedgehog suddenly noticing the mess Espio pulling her into a hug had caused. She Chaos Controlled away, getting cleaning materials and reappearing. Cleaning the mess on the bed as best she could she sighed when she realised that she'd have to clean the sheets either way, and without a dryer Espio wouldn't have a bed to sleep on tonight...she then remembered his liking of sleeping at her bedside, and decided he probably wouldn't mind. "You should take a shower Espio, before that milk goes sour or the oatmeal gets hard." She stated suddenly, the chameleon nodding and going to do just that.

"You're a mess too Eclipse!" Charmy pointed out, the hedgehog looking down at herself. The bee was right, her skirt and boots were indeed a mess and she'd have to clean them along with the sheets and blankets. She left to get changed while Espio was in the shower, planning to put the dirty items in the laundry afterward.

* * *

><p>Yay! Eclipse and Espio are finally together...to be honest, I'm not sure how much logner I can draw this story out. But I do know one thing...Sonic is not going to take this without another fight. See you all soon!<p> 


	30. Choices Made

Sorry that this one is really short compared to my other chapters lately. Hope you like either way, read and review k?

* * *

><p>Eclipse stood under the rushing water of the shower, her eyes closed as she sighed in relief as the grime covering her body was finally washed off. She had promised Aahlaad to help her bathe when the hedgehog was done with her shower, so she couldn't take too long. However she grabbed the shampoo and lathered up her wet fur, cleaning it out before doing so again and putting in the conditioner. After rinsing the conditioner out of her fur the skater felt almost like a new hedgehog, cleaner and happier. Her mind wondered to why she was so happy, the chameleon.<p>

"Eclipse?" Aahlaad's voice jerked Eclipse from her daydream, the hedgehog looking at the door.

"Come on in." The skater said, the young climber walking into the room as earlier got out of the shower and started to run a bath. "Is this alright?" Eclipse asked, gesturing to the barely warm water running from the tap into the plugged tub. Aahlaad felt the water and nodded, she wasn't used to hot water so Eclipse had made sure to keep it from being too warm. After the caterpillar got undressed and slid into the tub, the hedgehog carefully cleaning the young girl of all the dirt she'd acquired.

"Sonic, stop!" The voice of Charmy caused Eclipse to stop what she was doing and frown. Her clothing appeared on her in a flash of Chaos Control before she disappeared in a similar flash.

"What's going on here?!" The black and red hedgehog demanded as she saw the blue hedgehog trying to attack the chameleon. Sonic turned upon hearing the girl, pointing at Espio accusingly.

"We fought yesterday! Why is he healed?!" The blue speedster demanded angrily. The black twitched at the demand, her wet quills dripping on the carpet.

"Really Faker?! THAT'S what this is about?!" Eclipse snapped angrily, appearing between Sonic and Espio in a flash of Chaos Control. "I already had to watch him heal when he pushed me out of the way of that robot's laser a while back, what makes you think I'm going to see him like that again?!" The red eyed girl hissed at her rival, glaring at him.

"So you heal him and leave me hurt?" The green eyed boy asked, now sounding a little hurt.

"Of course Faker, I'm not worried about you healing because you've been through worse...usually by me or the Doctor." Eclipse pointed out in annoyance, Sonic blinking at her. "Now...please get out of this house." The black and red hedgehog growled lowly. However Espio decided to show he had won Eclipse after all, wrapping his arms around her possessively. Sonic's eyes narrowed and he growled. "Ok, no. Out." Eclipse threw her green Chaos Emerald at the fellow hedgehog and pushed him out the door.

"W...what?" Sonic asked, looking at the powerful emerald that had been given to him.

"I'd prefer the yellow one." Was the girl's only response, closing the door before turning to the purple ninja. "Was the REALLY necessary?" She asked him.

"I wanted him to know that you're not available anymore." The chameleon responded, Eclipse groaning.

"Espio..." She groaned, shaking her head with a sigh. "I have to finish helping Aahlaad with her bath." Without another word Eclipse went upstairs to do as she had said.

"I don't get it Tails, she didn't push him away." Sonic was pacing back and forth in Tails' living room, much to the annoyance of the young fox.

"Maybe she didn't want to push him off Sonic." The fox explained, the hedgehog glaring at him unhappily.

"I won the fight!" The speedster reminded him.

"The fight that Eclipse didn't want you two to have?" The mechanic pointed out, causing his older friend to fall silent. "I can't be sure, but...I think it's highly possible that Eclipse chose Espio even though he lost the fight." The young fox sighed, knowing the hedgehog wouldn't want to hear this harsh truth.

"I have to make her see that she made the wrong choice." Sonic decided, leaving without another word.

"This can't end well..." Tails groaned, going to call Amy to see if the pink hedgehog could stop the blue from doing something too drastic.

* * *

><p>Told you Sonic wouldn't let Espio 'win' Eclipse without a fight. See you all later.<p> 


	31. Heroes and Sorrows

Well, here's the next chapter. Like I said in **For an Emerald**, school will be starting soon so I'm pretty busy and won't be able to post nearly as often...when I do post I'll try my best to post a chapter for both stories. Nonetheless; hopefully Amy will be able to stop Sonic from doing anything drastic, like Tails is hoping. Read and Review, ok?

* * *

><p>"What is he planning to do Tails?" Amy asked the twin-tailed fox over the phone, worried about what their hero may be planning to do to a certain purple ninja.<p>

"I don't know Amy, but it can't be good." Tails said simply, knowing how upset Sonic was that Eclipse had chosen Espio over him. "Whatever it is, you have to calm him down before he does anything." He added.

"I'm not really sure how much I can do but...alright." The pink hedgehog hung up the phone and left her humble abode to find her hero.

_How come I've been walking around this city looking for hedgehogs so much lately? _Amy wondered as she walked, looking for Sonic. Her 'Sonic Senses' weren't working, of course when she needed them to the most. A blue blur rather suddenly passed by her, causing the female hedgehog to gasp a bit in surprise. "Sonic!" She called out immediately. Her hero skid to a stop, turning to face her but not stopping in some sort of motion...he clearly didn't want to be standing still.

"I'm busy right now Amy." The blue hedgehog stated, looking around as if looking for something.

"Sonic...what are you doing?" The fangirl asked, the hero's foot tapping so he could stay still.

"I'm uh...just busy." He insisted, knowing she wouldn't approve.

"Sonic...you're a hero, don't forget that." The hammer user said suddenly, causing the ring user to look at her oddly. "You're a role model Sonic, and you never hurt the innocent." She clarified. Suddenly Sonic froze, his eyes slightly wide.

"Man, how could I forget that?" The blue hedgehog muttered, looking at himself and realising that he'd already hurt an innocent...and had only moments ago been planning to do it again. "Thanks Amy...a lot." The hero said, smiling at her and giving her a thumbs up to show that he wasn't going to do anything a hero wouldn't. Amy smiled in return, she wasn't entirely sure how but she'd stopped Sonic from hurting Espio again and that was all that mattered.

"It was nice seeing you again Sonic." The hammer user stated, turning to walk away with her job now done.

"Yo, Ames!" The ring user called suddenly, causing the pink girl to turn to face him. "You uh...wanna go to the park or something?" He asked her, the girl's eyes widening.

"Are you...asking me on a...on a date?" The fangirl asked softly, not believing her ears.

"A date, huh?" The hero questioned, closing his eyes and thinking about it for a moment. "Yeah...I guess I am. It's a thanks, for stopping me from doing something I'd regret later and all." He explained. Amy stared at her hero and long-running crush, a part of her not believing her ears...nonetheless, she smiled at him.

"I'd like that." She admitted, Sonic smiling. He slowly walked forward, grabbing her hand in his with a familiar smirk and beginning to walk to the park with the pink hedgehog.

"Are you sure we shouldn't have someone watching Sonic...he didn't seem too happy when Espio held you possessively earlier..." Vector pointed out to the cooking black hedgehog.

"I'm certain. I have a feeling we don't have anything to worry about anymore." Eclipse smiled at the adult reassuringly, causing him to smile a bit himself. However a moment later her eyes widened in horror and she dropped the pan she'd been cooking bacon in.

"Eclipse?!" Espio was at the hedgehog's side the moment the pan hit the ground, his hand on her shoulder. The red eyed girl's eyes slowly turned to him before quickly grasping his hand in her own, causing him a slight start. After several moments of nothing the black detective took off her glove in a panic and grabbed the purple ninja's bare arm, looking like something was very wrong.

"Eclipse?" Charmy and Aahlaad asked, never seeing the girl like she currently was.

"I don't see anything..." The hedgehog's voice sounded strained, silent sobs racking her body. "I don't see anything!" She exclaimed, falling to her knees and burying her head in her hands. The Chaotix and Aahlaad looked at each other, severely confused. The chameleon knelt beside his love, pulling her into his arms to try and comfort her.

"What do you mean, you don't see anything?" He whispered carefully, not wanting to make her more upset. She looked up at him, though with the look on her face and the slight pink poof of her eyes he wished she hadn't.

"My visions...they won't trigger...I haven't had one since Alexiss came back to life..." Suddenly the eyes of the Chaotix all widened as well, now realising why the hedgehog was so upset.

"Eclipse..." Just as the girl had said before, Espio whispered her name when he didn't know what else to say.

**Flashback.**

**"You ok Clowy?" Charmy asked worriedly as the hedgehog's eyes returned to normal.**

**"Yeah, just a vision of the future. I get them when I touch someone or when they touch me. The only thing that stops me from having a vision is my armour." Clowy explained simply, stretching. Clowy looked up, seeing that the we were staring at her like she was insane. "What?" She asked in confusion.**

**"How can you say that like its normal? Having visions of the future is NOT normal!" Vector yelled, hurting Clowy's ears from the way they flattened slightly.**

**"That's enough Vector. It's normal to her." I said, saving Clowy an explanation.**

**"I've had them since I can remember so, as Espio said, it's normal to me." Clowy agreed, shaking her head slightly to get the vision out of her head as she stood up.**

**End of Flashback.**

"I'm sorry Eclipse..." Espio said, having remembered what she had said when she told them about her visions. She was used to them...for them to suddenly disappear without reason must have been very upsetting for her.

"Why? Why can't I see anything?" Eclipse sobbed, the chameleon pulling her closer to him.

"I don't know...there must be some reason..." The purple ninja murmured, the rest of the Chaotix and the caterpillar forgotten by the two.

"...Espio?" The hedgehog asked after several minutes of crying, sniffling slightly.

"Yes?" He asked her softly.

"I...I wanna go to bed now, ok?" Eclipse whispered, Espio nodding and picking her up. "I'm sorry...I don't want to cook right now..." She apologised to the group.

"It's fine Eclipse. You get some rest, I'll go order takeout." The crocodile assured the girl, who nodded before Espio began to carry her to her room.

"...Is she going to be ok Vector?" Aahlaad asked suddenly, voicing her concern and Charmy's.

"...I hope so." The adult said after several moments, going to the phone to do as he had told the teenaged girl he would do.

* * *

><p>See, I WASN'T just being forgetful and not putting in Eclipse's visions; there was an actual reason to it! And what about Sonic and Amy's date, how will THAT end out? Well, you'll all have to wait until next time to find out, see ya!<p> 


	32. Happy Ending

Here it is everyone...the last chapter of Eclipse the Hedgehog. Hope you all enjoy, read and review.

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Vector asked Espio the morning after Eclipse had realised she wasn't having visions anymore. The younger male sighed.<p>

"She hasn't woken up since, so I don't really know..." The chameleon admitted to the crocodile sadly. "It's almost like...she's trying to sleep forever..." The purple ninja looked at the ground sadly, remembering when Eclipse had wanted to do so thinking she was still in the forest after they'd brought her home.

"She can't really sleep forever...can she?" Aahlaad asked, her voice trembling. She and Charmy were sitting unnaturally close to each other, clearly trying to feel comfort from the other.

"She slept for fifty years before...and it's only because Eggman woke her up that we have her with us now..." The green man stated to the children sadly, sighing. "I don't know how long she can sleep, if she really wants to..." He admitted to them, the children sniffling before beginning to hug one another and bawl. Espio sat at the table silently, unsure what to do.

"Vector! I told you not to pick on Charmy and Aahlaad!" The Chaotix and Aahlaad turned sharply to see Eclipse standing in the doorway, glaring at Vector openly with her arms crossed.

"Eclipse!" The two children cried, speeding into her arms and causing her to nearly fall over.

"Huh?!" She asked, looking at them in surprised confusion.

"We thought you were..." The bee sniffled and hiccupped.

"...going to sleep forever!" The caterpillar finished, doing the same. Eclipse smiled softly at the two, carefully patting their heads in comfort.

"I would never do that to you guys, don't worry." She assured them softly, sitting at the table and placing the children on her lap.

"But...what about your visions?" The children asked as they looked up at the hedgehog, who blinked before smiling slightly again.

"It'll take some getting used to again, but...I'll live without them." The teenaged girl stated before getting up and placing the children in their chairs, sitting herself beside her purple ninja. "Now, you two eat up." She added, everyone eating happily.

"Why is Eclipse the one going Super again?" Sonic grumbled angrily, the seven Chaos Emerald floating around the black and red hedgehog. The Sonic Heroes and all their friends were all on Angel Island near the Master Emerald, much to the annoyance of its guardian.

"Because I naturally have more control over my Chaos abilities than you do Faker, which means I have a much higher chance of being able to succeed at this." Eclipse responded for Tails, who nodded.

"Wouldn't it be better if we tried this together?" The male hedgehog asked, the red eyed one huffing.

"I don't need your help Faker." She growled at him. Amy squeezed the blue hero's hand slightly.

"It's alright Sonic...this is delicate and Tails is just worried." She assured the speedster, who sighed and nodded. The Chaos Emeralds began to circle Eclipse as she drew in their power, her fur going a pale yellow and headband with goggles flying off to allow her quills into their natural position. Her clothing billowed in the slight breeze, making her appear all the more powerful.

"Now, to bend the very fabric of space and time for this wish." Super Eclipse said as she stared at the potted plan in front of her, taking a deep breath. "Chaos...Control!" She called out as she pointed her palms at the plant, light covering the area and nearly blinding everyone. When the light didn't die after a few moments everyone began to worry that perhaps this wouldn't work after all, despite Super Eclipse focusing all her energy she didn't seem to be able to do what she wanted. The sudden hands on her shoulders nearly caused her to jump slightly, the hedgehog turning her head to look at who held her shoulders.

"We know that you said you don't want Sonic's help..." Began Knuckles from one side, smirking at her as violet Chaos Energy surrounded him.

"...but ya didn't say nothing about us." Alexiss smiled at the hedgehog from the other side, dark blue Chaos Energy surrounding her. The echidna and hybrid looked at one another, nodding and focussed just like Super Eclipse.

"Chaos Control!" The three called out in unison, the light becoming so bright none could see through it. In a flash the light was gone as was the potted plant...in its place was a sleeping humanoid plant-like girl about Tails' age.

"Cosmo!" No one had ever seen the fox quite so happy as he ran to the side of the girl, gently shaking her.

"...Tails?" She asked softly, sounding confused. Super Eclipse smiled at the two before returning to normal and sending off the Chaos Emeralds as to help protect them, keeping only the yellow with her. She walked over to the Chaotix and Aahlaad, Espio handing her the goggles and headband that had flown off during the transformation. The black and red hedgehog smiled before putting them on and smoothing her quills down, turning to the young couple.

"Eclipse here brought you back." Tails explained to the Seedrian, gesturing to the skater. Said skater realised that thanks to the light no one had noticed Knuckles and Alexiss help her.

"...Eclipse?" The green girl asked, looking curiously at said hedgehog.

"My name is Eclipse the Hedgehog...you would know me better as Shadow the Hedgehog." Eclipse stated, Cosmo's eyes widening. "This was my apology, for attacking you so harshly aboard the Blue Typhoon." She added. After a moment the alien smiled at her to show that she was forgiven, soon after Tails taking her to his home.

"...Any reason ya're staring at us Miss Eclipse?" The helpful knight asked suddenly, having been standing beside the guardian who seemingly hated her for a good few minutes with no fighting.

"I thought you hated her." Eclipse pointed out to Knuckles. The echidna looked at the hybrid and nodded, the latter moving her shirt to reveal the same mark as Knuckles on her chest.

"She connected to the Master Emerald." The red teenager explained simply. "I don't plan on having her be the guardian at any point though." He added, Alexiss smiling and laughing a bit.

"I apologise everyone, but it is time for us to return home." Came Andrea's voice from the doorway of the tower, her entire group in front of the tower beyond Alaster. With all their friends watching them from close by.

"Bye bye!" Darius waved to the group of his sister and princess' friends.

"Take care everyone." Alexiss said with a sad smile. "Let us all meet again someday." She said with a sad smile as a horse-drawn carriage stopped just off the side, driven by Alaster. "Espio, take good care of Miss Eclipse. Goodbye Everyone!" The blue hybrid called, everyone who was leaving getting into the carriage before it began to leave with Alexiss sitting beside the driver on the outside.

"...Goodbye..." Eclipse waved as they rode away, Espio's arm around her in comfort.

"About time." Eclipse said when Rouge came to her a few days after Andrea's group's departure and stated that she and Knuckles were now dating.

"I suppose so." The bat agreed, smiling. The two friends talked for a long while that day.

"Vector! Vanilla is here to see you!" Eclipse called out early the next morning, moving aside to let the rabbit in.

"M-Miss Vanilla! What a-are you doing here?" The crocodile stuttered, Vanilla smiling a bit at him.

"If you aren't busy with a case Vector...would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow night?" The kind woman asked, the fellow adult's eyes widened as did Espio's while the hedgehog and children chuckled.

"I-I...of course! I would be honoured!" The green detective insisted, the children about to taunt before Eclipse covered their mouths.

"Ok, that's enough." She warned them, leaving the room along with Espio.

"It seems everyone will be happy in the long run..." The skater said with a soft smile as she watched the children sleep, Charmy's arms wrapped protectively around Aahlaad.

"Hopefully." Espio agreed, the hedgehog shaking her head.

"I'm certain."

* * *

><p>I thought long and hard about how to end this, but I decided that this is the best way. I'll be writing a sequel to this called <strong>Child of Chaos<strong> soon, I just need to figure out a thing or two more before I can start writing. I hope you all enjoyed this story...see you all at the sequel, bye.


End file.
